KARACHI: Pakistan has once again closed its airspace to all domestic and international flights for 24 hours, the country’s airports authority said on Saturday, hours after Islamabad hit Indian military targets in retaliation to what it said were strikes on three of its air bases.
India-Pakistan tensions, sparked by last month’s attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, spiraled into a military conflict this week, when India conducted missile strikes on what it called “militant training camps” in five Pakistani cities, which Islamabad said killed 31 civilians.
Both sides have since exchanged drone, missile and artillery strikes, with either one claiming to have acted in retaliation. The ongoing conflict forced intermittent closure of airspaces in both countries, where flight operations were already affected since the neighbors closed their airspaces for the other shortly after the Kashmir attack.
While Pakistan partially resumed flight operations this week, Islamabad decided to close its airspace for another 24 hours after Pakistan launched strikes on Indian military targets in response to what it said were attacks on three of its air bases, one close to the capital, in the wee hours of Saturday.
“Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for all types of flights until 12PM tomorrow (May 11),” a Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) spokesperson said around Saturday noon.
The ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India have plunged flight operations across the region into a disarray, with several domestic and international flights delayed, canceled or returned. The state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) this week suspended all flights after halting ground operations and initially diverting airborne planes to Karachi.
The latest closure bars both domestic and international air traffic from entering Pakistan’s airspace, a major corridor for flights between Europe and Asia.
Several Asian airlines, including EVA Air, Korean Air, Thai Airways and China Airlines, have rerouted or delayed flights for Europe, citing “safety concerns” due to the ongoing conflict. A Taipei-Milan flight was diverted to Vienna for refueling this week, while Korean Air opted for a longer route via Myanmar and Bangladesh.
India’s flight operations have also been impacted, with several airports closed.
The conflict has drawn international concern and world powers, including the United States, United Kingdom and China, have urged both countries to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation.
Pakistan shuts its airspace for 24 hours after fresh exchange of strikes with India
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Pakistan shuts its airspace for 24 hours after fresh exchange of strikes with India
- India-Pakistan tensions, sparked by last month’s attack Kashmir that killed 26 people, spiraled into a military conflict this week
- The ongoing conflict has forced intermittent closure of airspaces in both countries, plunging the regional air traffic into disarray
Six cops killed as IED explosion targets police vehicle in northwestern Pakistan
- Blast in northwestern Tank district kills inspector, additional sub-inspector, driver and three members of elite force personnel, says police official
- Attack takes place as Islamabad grapples with surge in militant attacks in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan
PESHAWAR: Six cops were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast that targeted a police vehicle in Pakistan’s northwestern Tank district on Monday, a police official said as Islamabad struggles to contain surging militant attacks in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The IED explosion targeted an armored police vehicle on the Gomal-Jutta Road near the Kot Wali Canal area, Tank police spokesperson Younas Khan said. The blast killed an inspector, an additional sub-inspector, the driver of the vehicle and three members of the police’s elite force personnel.
“The armored police vehicle was completely damaged in the explosion,” Khan said.
He said senior police officials, including District Police Officer (DPO) Tank Shabbir Hussain Shah reached the site of the blast to collect evidence and carry out an operation in the nearby rugged terrain.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the incident, directing authorities to carry out an investigation into the incident.
“The terrorists responsible for this attack will be brought to their logical end at the earliest,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi praised police for their sacrifices against militancy, vowing to bring all those involved in the incident to justice.
“Anti-peace elements would not succeed in their nefarious designs by targeting the police force,” Afridi said as per a statement released from his office.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant outfit has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest attacks targeting law enforcement personnel in KP in the past. The TTP has frequently targeted convoys of security forces, police stations and check-posts besides kidnapping government officials in the region.
Islamabad has frequently accused Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil to armed outfits such as the TTP. It has also alleged that India backs militant groupswho carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied this.
