India on Friday extended the closure of Indian airspace for Pakistani airlines, shortly after Pakistan announced the extension of the ban on Indian airlines till June 24. Indian airspace will not be available for aircraft registered in Pakistan as well as for planes operated, owned or leased by Pakistan airlines and operators till June 23, 2025, according to a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued on Friday.As per the NOTAM, the ban will also be applicable to Pakistan’s military aircraft.The extension follows the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rules that restrict such closure for a month at a time.The ban was imposed on April 30, after Pakistan closed its airspace for Indian airlines on April 24, following New Delhi’s series of punitive measures against Islamabad, including the suspension of Indus Water Treaty, following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. “The ban on Indian aircraft flying over Pakistan airspace has been extended until 4:59 am June 24, 2025,” the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) said in a statement here.All aircraft that are Indian-registered, operated, owned, or leased will remain subject to the ban, the PAA statement said.”This ban will also apply to Indian military aircraft. No flight operated by Indian airlines or operators will be allowed to use Pakistani airspace,” the statement said.”Under the directive, no flight operated by Indian airlines or operators will be allowed to enter or transit through Pakistani airspace,” the PAA said.The extension of closure of airspace by a month comes two days after an IndiGo pilot operating the Delhi-Srinagar flight, which encountered a sudden hailstorm on Wednesday, initially sought Lahore Air Traffic Control’s permission to briefly use the Pakistan airspace to avoid the turbulence, but the request was rejected.(With inputs from PTI)
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