Airspace locked down over Karachi, Lahore on Security fears

The government has announced new Karachi, Lahore airspace restrictions, temporarily closing portions of both cities’ Flight Information Regions (FIRs) each day throughout May, citing heightened security concerns, aviation authorities confirmed on Thursday.

According to an official notice, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated that the restricted sections will be closed daily from 4:00am to 8:00am local time between May 1 and May 31. The move is a precautionary measure in response to elevated regional tensions.

The CAA assured that the Karachi, Lahore airspace restrictions would not significantly affect commercial flight operations. Flights will be rerouted through alternative corridors during the restricted hours to minimize disruption.

Authorities clarified that only select portions of the Karachi and Lahore FIRs will be affected rather than a full closure. Operations at major airports like Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport and Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport will continue largely uninterrupted, with minor adjustments to flight paths.

Increased Surveillance Across Pakistan’s Airspace

In parallel with the new airspace restrictions, air traffic control authorities have issued fresh directives to tighten monitoring of all flight movements, including those of foreign airlines transiting Pakistani airspace.

On Wednesday, all commercial flights scheduled for Gilgit and Skardu were canceled for security reasons. Officials emphasized that these steps are precautionary and intended to maintain the integrity of national airspace during a period of heightened regional sensitivity.

The heightened measures follow recent tensions between Pakistan and India, notably after an incident in Pahalgam. In response, security at all Pakistani airports has been significantly intensified, with surveillance and monitoring protocols elevated to the highest levels.

Aviation sources added that all foreign flights originating from or passing through Indian airspace are now subject to stricter scrutiny. Indian airlines remain banned from operating in Pakistan, but other international carriers continue with increased checks. Air traffic controllers have been instructed to require air defense clearance numbers from any suspicious flights before departure to ensure all aircraft are properly documented and identified.