ISLAMABAD: After more than 48 hours of airspace suspension amid spiking tension with neighbouring India, Pakistan on Saturday resumed commercial flight operations at Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta airports, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The facilities have been made available for international and domestic routes at these airports, however, other airports — including Lahore, Sialkot, and Multan, and Gilgit Baltistan — are slated to be reopened for flight operations soon.

As notification suspending the Pakistan airspace has been withdrawn, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will restart operations around 12 midnight.

Moreover, all international flights, which were being redirected to take longer routes by not crossing over the airspace of Pakistan, have been permitted and informed to resume their operations normally from 4pm onwards on Saturday.

According to source, India has also resumed flight operations at the airports in the northern region.

Moreover, the CAA has directed its staff to ensure maximum presence.

“It is expected that there will be a backlog of passengers,” said the circular. “To smoothly manage operations, the management would require the presence of the staff and officers.”

Pakistan closed its airspace around 12.30pm on Wednesday due to the prevailing security situation with India, leaving thousands of air travelers affected due to the cancellation of their flights.

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