Pakistan air traffic severely disrupted as flights get suspended amid tensions with India

Flights in Pakistan remain suspended amid its heightened tensions with India, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in the country’s biggest airports. Many people have had their flights cancelled at the very last minute.

Airports in Lahore, Islamabad, Karachi and Sialkot were particularly affected, as air traffic was halted for several hours due to the hostilities between the two countries. How­ever, flight operations at the four airports later resumed on Thursday after temporary suspensions, reports Dawn.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) initially said that flight operations at Karachi’s Jinnah Inter­nat­ional Airport would remain suspen­ded until midnight, but they resu­med earlier than scheduled. Flight operations at Islamabad, Lah­ore and Sialkot airports resumed by evening.

Reportedly, the PAA had temporarily suspended operations in Karachi, Lahore and Sialkot airports until yesterday noon, citing operational reasons. Islamabad International Airport also briefly suspended flights during the day.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) confirmed that the country’s ongoing security situation severely disrupted air operations nationwide.

“In the interest of air safety, some routes have been restricted as a precaution, affecting several flights,” a PIA spokesperson said. “The temporary closure of air routes has been undertaken to protect the assets of domestic carriers and ensure passenger safety.”

The airline urged passengers to remain patient and cooperate with airline staff, adding that its call centre was actively contacting affected travellers.

For passengers of diverted flights, PIA said it had made arrangements for meals and accommodation. Passengers were advised to check flight status via the PIA website or helpline before heading to the airport.

As military exchanges between India and Pakistan continue, international and domestic flights have been severely disrupted in Pakistan. This comes as the country recently began its Hajj flight operations, though in light of the recent airspace closure, the operations are all but completely suspended.