Pahalgam attack: India shuts airspace for all Pakistani airlines, military flights

NEW DELHI: India has closed its airspace to all aircraft registered in Pakistan and those operated by Pakistani airlines, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), in another major step following the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed.

India issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Wednesday, confirming the closure of its airspace to all Pakistani-registered, operated, or leased aircraft, including military flights, from April 30 to May 23 (estimated duration). Both India and Pakistan have now blocked each other’s airlines from using their airspace, as the neighbouring country had already announced this step six days ago.

Notably, there has been a rise in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, and the Indian Army has effectively responded. Security forces have intensified anti-terror operations in the Kashmir valley in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and the government has given armed forces complete operational freedom to decide on the response to the brutal terror attack.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met a day after the Pahalgam terror attack. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir and its steady progress towards economic growth and development.

India has taken a raft of measures against Pakistan for its support to cross-border terrorism, including holding the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance and closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari. India has also decided to curtail the strength of High Commissions. (ANI)