Pakistan reopened its airspace at midnight after a 24-hour closure, following a fragile ceasefire with India brokered by the United Nations and China. The closure, enforced on May 7 from 10:50 a.m., disrupted 57 commercial flights and delayed 3,080 Hajj pilgrims, costing airlines $10 million.
The decision came after Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes on Indian military sites, codenamed “Bunyan-un-Marsoos,” in response to India’s April 25 “Operation Sindoor,” which killed 31 Pakistani civilians. The ceasefire, announced on May 7 evening, halted hostilities over Kashmir, though 30% of flights faced ongoing delays due to military alerts.
The airspace reopening, centered over Lahore and Punjab, restored 80% of operations at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, with Emirates and Qatar Airways resuming full schedules. Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority reported 90% compliance with rerouting protocols during the closure, which affected 12% of South Asia’s air traffic. The ceasefire, covering the Line of Control (LoC), reduced 70% of artillery exchanges, but 1,000 schools in Punjab remained closed as a precaution. Pakistan’s $350 billion economy, reliant on $30 billion in annual air trade, faced 5% GDP risks from prolonged disruptions.
Tensions persist, with Pakistan’s 600,000-strong army and India’s 1.4 million troops on alert. The conflict, rooted in Kashmir’s disputed status, saw 45 terror incidents in 2024, 80% linked to cross-border groups. Global powers, including the G7, urged sustained dialogue, but only 10% of prior UN mediation offers have succeeded. Pakistan’s airspace, critical for 15% of global Hajj routes, is expected to stabilize by June 2025, though 20% of analysts predict renewed clashes if Kashmir talks falter, underscoring the region’s nuclear volatility.