After 140 Days From Balakot Airstrike Pakistan Opens Airspace For Indian Flights
Mumbai: Nearly 140 days after the Balakot strike Pakistan has lifted its ban from “all type of civil traffic” including that from India.
Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM), stating “with immediate effect Pakistan airspace is open for all types of civil traffic on published ATS (air traffic service) routes”, reported ANI on Tuesday.
“Pakistan today has allowed all airlines to fly from their airspace from around 12.41 am. PTI quoted the sources as saying that Indian airline operators will soon start using normal routes from Pakistan’s airspace.
Earlier, Pakistan had claimed that it would not open it’s airspace for commercial flights until India removed it’s fighter jets from forwarding Indian airbases.
Pakistan’s aviation secretary Shahrukh Nusrat informed a parliamentary committee that the neighbouring country will not allow India to resume the flight operations unless fighter jets are withdrawn from the situation.
“The Indian government approached us asking to open the airspace. We convey our concerns that first India must withdraw its fighter planes placed forward,” Nusrat had said.
After 26 February the Indian Air Force attacked the terrorist training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan had closed its airspace. 14. In response to the February 11 Pulwama attack, out of 11 routes, the neighbouring country had only opened two routes.
As a result of the restrictions, all flights were diverted to alternative routes of India. After the airstrip, Air India had to re-route or suspend many of its international flights, which connect India with European and American cities.
Due to the closure of Pakistan’s airspace which started in March, Indigo was also unable to start a direct flight from Delhi to Istanbul. This flight has had to go a long way over the Arabian Sea and to stay in Qatar.
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