Pakistan opens its airspace for civilian airlines for the first time since Balakot strike

• Pakistan reopened its airspace for passenger airliners from India travelling towards its west on July 16.
  
• Pakistan had closed its airspace for Indian airlines after Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan.
  
• Recently Pakistan had said that it will open its airspace after India moves its fighter planes away from the international border.
  

Pakistan has reopened its airspace for all the civilian passenger airlines going from India to its West. The airspace was closed after the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted airstrikes in Balakot in Pakistan in February.

The move has come as a huge relief to the airlines who were having to re-route their flights, as they were not permitted to enter Pakistani airspace.

“Pakistan has permitted all airlines to fly through its airspace from around 12:41 am today. Indian airline operators will start using normal routes through Pakistan airspace soon,” according to media sources.

Pakistan had recently said that it will reopen its airspace only after India moves its fighter jets away from the international border.

Pakistan’s Aviation Secretary Shahrukh Nusrat informed a Parliamentary committee that India had approached it, seeking opening the airspace. However, they made the decision to reopen the airspace, without India having to withdraw its fighter planes.

“Pakistan has cancelled the Notam (notice to airmen) for its airspace with effect from 0038 IST, consequential Notams by India also cancelled. Airlines are likely to resume normal routes through Pakistan airspace,” an AII official told Economic Times.