Islamabad, August 10: Pakistan’s Airports Authority (PAA) has incurred a revenue shortfall of Rs 4.1 billion in just over two months due to the closure of its airspace for Indian airlines, official data has revealed.
The airspace restrictions were imposed after the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Both India and Pakistan shut their airspace to each other’s carriers following the incident.
Tensions further escalated after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-controlled territories. The four-day military action prompted an extension of the airspace ban.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence, the losses, calculated from April 24 to June 30, stem from reduced overflying revenue. “These are revenue shortfalls, not overall financial losses,” the ministry clarified, adding that overflight and aeronautical charges remain unchanged.
Pakistan’s airspace remains open to all international carriers except Indian-registered aircraft, while Pakistani airlines are also banned from flying over Indian airspace. (Agencies)
