PAA confirms Pakistan airspace fully open for civil aviation

RAWALPINDI - The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Tuesday confirmed that the country’s airspace remains “fully open, safe, and completely available for all civil aviation traffic,” including commercial flights.

The clarification followed a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the PAA regarding selected air traffic service (ATS) route segments in the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) Flight Information Regions (FIRs). The notice specified that these segments would be temporarily unavailable from March 3 to 31 between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm daily for operational reasons.

Describing the NOTAM as a routine operational advisory, the PAA stated that the temporary closure affects only specific route segments from ground level to unlimited altitude and does not constitute a full or partial airspace shutdown. Alternative routes remain available, and air traffic services are operating normally.

“No restrictions have been imposed on commercial flights, arrivals, departures, or overflights across Pakistan,” the authority said, adding that air traffic controllers and airport teams continue to manage operations as usual.

Despite the clarification, Monday saw limited commercial activity.

Only Etihad Airways flight EY300 from Abu Dhabi landed at Islamabad International Airport (IIAP) at 7:30 pm, while flights from Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Muscat were cancelled. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to and from Saudi Arabia, however, remain operational, according to a company spokesperson.

The PAA emphasised that Pakistan’s airspace is safe and fully accessible, with temporary route restrictions implemented solely for operational reasons.