ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has announced the temporary suspension of selected commercial air routes within the Karachi and Lahore Flight Information Regions (FIRs) during specified hours, citing the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.
According to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued on Monday, designated air routes within the Karachi and Lahore FIRs will remain closed daily from 9:00am to 3:00pm from March 3 to March 31. During these hours, the affected airspace will not be available for commercial flight operations.
The move comes amid escalating tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, which have severely disrupted air travel between Pakistan and several Middle Eastern destinations. Along with passenger flights, air cargo services have also been suspended, halting the movement of goods, including food items and essential supplies.
PAA data shows that more than 500 inbound and outbound flights across Pakistan have been cancelled so far. Flights from major airports — including Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Multan — operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), private carriers and foreign airlines to destinations such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Sharjah, Dubai, Turkey, Iraq and Iran have been affected.
Airport sources said some neighbouring airspaces remain closed, forcing airlines to suspend or reroute operations. At present, only flights to and from Saudi Arabia are operating normally.
The suspension has not only inconvenienced passengers but also disrupted trade and industrial supply chains due to the halt in cargo operations. Travel industry representatives report growing uncertainty, particularly among Umrah pilgrims. Khawaja Ayub Naseem, a senior leader of the Travel Agents Association, said many pilgrims who had booked travel via Dubai are reconsidering plans. While airlines may offer ticket refunds, hotel bookings are typically non-refundable, potentially exposing travel agents to losses amounting to millions of rupees.
Despite the disruptions, officials emphasised that Pakistan’s airspace remains secure and fully operational. Airlines have adjusted schedules primarily due to evolving regional security conditions and restrictions in adjacent airspace.
Over the weekend, Jinnah International Airport witnessed unusual activity as several foreign airline flights were diverted to Karachi, creating scenes reminiscent of the Gulf crisis in the 1990s.
Authorities have indicated that further operational adjustments may be made if the regional situation deteriorates, though no timeline has yet been provided for the full restoration of affected routes.
Story by Aftab Khan
