Indo-Pak tensions : International flights transiting between Indian & Pakistani airspace affected

As India suspended civilian air traffic shortly after an Indian Air Force jet crashed in Kashmir’s Budgam on Wednesday, international flights transiting between India and Pakistan have been affected.

“International flights that transit between Indian and Pakistani airspace now being affected. Some flights (are) returning to origin while others appear to be seeking alternate routing,” tweeted Flightradar24.

Earlier, five airports, Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar and Chandigarh were closed amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan shut down all of its airports after the IAF reportedly shot one F-16 that had violated the Indian airspace in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch and Nowshera sectors.

Pakistan had earlier stopped its domestic and international flight operations from Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Islamabad airports.

Top Jammu and Kashmir Police sources had said three PAF F-16 fighter jets violated Indian airspace in Nowshera sector, but were pushed back.

“The jets entered into the Indian air space over Nowshera sector of Rajouri district this morning,” a police official said, adding that the Indian fighter jets on air patrol immediately scrambled and pushed them back beyond the LoC.

One of the three Pakistani jets, that crossed the Line of Control, was taken down by the Indian Air Force, top officials added.
Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities claimed that two Indian fighter jets crashed on Wednesday, one in Budgam and the other across the Line of Control.