Airspace partially opened for commercial flights

Move comes as tension between Pakistan and India starts de-escalating

KARACHI: Pakistan has partially reopened its airspace for commercial flights with effect from Friday evening after de-escalation in tension on the Pakistan-India border in the last two days.

"Pakistan has partially reopened [its] airspace with effect from 6 o'clock in the evening today [Friday]," Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAAP) spokesperson Mujtaba Baig told The Express Tribune.

"Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad [airports] have been partially opened for commercial flights. However, commercial flight operations at other airports nationwide will remain suspended till 1pm on Tuesday [March 4, 2019]," he added.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said the national-carrier resumed flights at the allowed airports with effect from 7pm on Friday.

"We have resumed our daily scheduled flights from four airports - Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad," he said.

PIA operated two flights from Karachi to Islamabad in the first two hours after resuming operations.

Besides, PIA’s two planes left Karachi for Jeddah and Dubai, while another international flight for Madina is ready for departure, he said.



Giving rough estimates, he said, “The PIA operates around 50% domestic and international flights from four airports.

"We will resume operations at other airports as soon as the CAAP signals us."

He said PIA MD and CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik was heading the operations.

Similarly, Pakistan-based private airlines and a couple of international airlines also resumed operations to/from the four airports in the country, it was learnt reliably.

On Wednesday, Pakistan suspended its private flight operations in the backdrop of the violation of Pakistan's airspace by Indian fighter jets on Tuesday, while Pakistan’s restrained retaliation resulted in shooting down two Indian jets and capturing one pilot on Wednesday.

Pakistan released the captured Indian pilot on Friday evening as a peace gesture to India.

Pakistan stands firm on its resolve of not wanting war despite Indian aggression albeit it is fully capable of defending the motherland and the nation.