Islamabad: Pakistan’s move to block its airspace for Indian flights has cost it a huge amount of money. According to Pakistan’s leading newspaper Dawn, the country lost about Rs 1,240 crore (PKR 4.1 billion) between April 24 and June 30 this year. The figures were shared by Pakistan’s Defence Ministry in the National Assembly (Parliament).
The ban came after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23. In response, Pakistan stopped all Indian planes from flying over its territory. But this decision has hurt Pakistan more than India.
Due to the ban, air traffic in Pakistan dropped by 20 percent, and more than 100 flights were affected every day. The loss this time is far bigger than in 2019, when Pakistan faced a Rs 451 crore loss from a similar ban.
India has also banned Pakistani planes from entering Indian airspace. Pakistan’s Defence Ministry admitted the financial loss but defended the move, saying that national security is more important than money.
Right now, Pakistan’s skies are open to all flights except Indian ones. The ban has been extended twice and will remain until the end of August. Indian airlines are flying on other routes without problems, while Pakistani airlines still cannot enter India’s skies.
