Sunday, May 11, 2025 - Pakistan reopened its airspace to all commercial and military flights on Saturday following a ceasefire agreement with India. The decision came after several days of intense cross-border hostilities, which were triggered by Pakistan’s missile and drone attacks on Indian infrastructure. These attacks were a retaliation for India's precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, which was aimed at dismantling terror launchpads in Pakistan, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, mostly Hindus.
An official statement from the Pakistan Airports Authority
confirmed that all airports across the country had resumed normal operations
starting at 5:00 PM IST. "Pakistan’s airspace has been completely reopened
for all types of flights," the statement read.
Before the reopening, Pakistan had suspended all flights and
closed several airways, including those over Lahore and Karachi, due to the
heightened risk of military activity. This closure caused significant
disruptions to global aviation, with many international flights being rerouted
or cancelled.
The ceasefire agreement was formally announced by Indian
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a brief press conference in New Delhi.
Misri stated that the Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan had
called his counterpart in India at 3:35 PM IST. The two sides agreed to halt
all military actions in the air, on land, and at sea, effective from 5:00 PM
IST. Both sides were instructed to ensure full implementation of the agreement,
and further talks were scheduled for May 12 at noon.
Tensions had escalated after India’s strikes on terror
launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, which were a
response to the Pahalgam attack. In retaliation, Pakistan launched drone and
missile attacks targeting Indian military and civilian installations along the
western border. India responded by countering Pakistan’s multi-domain
offensive, which included drones, fighter jets, and long-range missiles.
US President Donald Trump and his administration claimed
credit for mediating the ceasefire. Trump stated that he had facilitated
dialogue between the two nations, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted
that discussions between India and Pakistan would soon take place at a neutral
location. However, Indian government sources clarified that there was no
decision for talks beyond the ceasefire.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, acknowledged
the ceasefire and confirmed its implementation at 4:30 PM Pakistan time. He
warned that Pakistan would respond to any aggression from India, while also
thanking the international community for facilitating the agreement.
As the airspace reopens and diplomatic channels resume,
attention is now focused on whether the ceasefire will hold and whether
Pakistan will adhere to its peace rhetoric or revert to its usual pattern of
provocation.
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