The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has reiterated that the nation’s airspace is fully accessible and secure for all civil aviation operations, including commercial air traffic. This announcement comes in response to recent concerns raised following the issuance of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that outlined temporary restrictions on certain flight routes within the Karachi and Lahore Flight Information Regions (FIRs).
The NOTAM, which was released earlier this month, specified that selected air traffic service (ATS) route segments in the Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR) FIRs would be temporarily unavailable from March 3 to March 31. These restrictions are in effect daily between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and are attributed to routine operational requirements rather than any security or safety issues. The PAA emphasized that these measures are standard procedural advisories and do not imply any form of partial or complete closure of Pakistan’s airspace.
Importantly, the temporary route closures affect only specific segments from ground level up to unlimited altitude, allowing for alternative flight paths to be used without disruption. Air traffic controllers and airport management teams across the country continue to operate efficiently, ensuring that commercial flights, arrivals, departures, and overflights proceed without hindrance. The PAA was clear in stating that no restrictions have been placed on the overall movement of civil aviation traffic within Pakistan’s airspace.
Despite the assurance from the PAA, Monday witnessed a noticeable reduction in commercial flight activity. For instance, only Etihad Airways flight EY300, arriving from Abu Dhabi, landed at Islamabad International Airport at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, flights originating from Dubai, Sharjah, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Muscat were cancelled on the same day. However, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) maintained its scheduled operations to and from Saudi Arabia, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the airline.
The Pakistan Airports Authority stressed that the temporary route restrictions are purely operational and do not compromise the safety or accessibility of the country’s airspace. They assured the public and international aviation stakeholders that Pakistan’s skies remain fully open and secure for all civil aviation activities. This clarification aims to dispel any misconceptions and reinforce confidence in the management of Pakistan’s air traffic services during this period.
