Following an eight-hour suspension triggered by escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, flight operations at several major airports across Pakistan have begun returning to normal, albeit with continued restrictions.
According to aviation officials, operations resumed gradually at Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi airports, though Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has temporarily suspended its regular services for 12 hours.
At Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, two international and one domestic flight were successfully operated, signalling the cautious restoration of services. Among them, PIA flight PK-607 bound for Dubai departed ahead of schedule, while Turkish Airlines flight TK-709 to Istanbul experienced delays.
From Lahore, the first post-suspension flight, PA-401 to Karachi, operated by a private airline, successfully departed.
Additionally, PIA flight PK-842, originally en route from Jeddah to Lahore but diverted to Karachi during the escalation, was flown onward to its intended destination on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, sources within the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed that Islamabad’s airspace remains open, and flight operations at Islamabad International Airport have resumed, with four private jets having landed.
However, the PAA also issued a new NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) announcing the reclosure of specific flight routes in Lahore’s airspace for 24 hours, indicating that full restoration of services may still take time.
According to the NOTAM, incoming flights to Islamabad will be permitted only with proper coordination and support from Air Traffic Control (ATC).
The suspension of flight operations was imposed after unprovoked Indian airstrikes on Pakistani territory on Tuesday-Wednesday night, which drew strong condemnation from Islamabad and raised concerns about potential military escalation.
