Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority has announced the temporary closure of airports in three major cities—Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad—due to escalating military tensions with India. The closures are in effect until 6 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) and are attributed to “operational reasons.”
This development follows claims by the Pakistani military that it shot down Indian drones, a day after India launched airstrikes on Pakistani territory. Pakistan also said it brought down five Indian Air Force jets.
The situation has significantly heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, both of whom have a long history of conflict, particularly over the Kashmir region.
India stated the strikes were in retaliation for a deadly attack in April, where 26 people—mainly Indian tourists—were killed by gunmen in a scenic area of Indian-administered Kashmir. India blames Pakistan for the incident, an allegation Islamabad firmly denies.
The international community has called for restraint as fears of a broader conflict grow.
