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  • Pakistan's airspace to be fully reopened today

    Pakistan's airspace fully reopened File Photo Pakistan's airspace fully reopened

    Pakistan's airspace, which was shut last week following escalating tensions with India, will be fully reopened today.

    Flight operations at most airports had resumed over the week, however, the reopening of the airspace nationwide had been delayed.

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday said Pakistan's airspace will be completely reopened on March 8 at 1pm.

    Flight operations at Faisalabad, Multan and Rahim Yar Khan airports, which were suspended for an additional 24 hours on Thursday, will be resumed today.

    The resumption of flights follows a relative ease in tensions easing after Pakistan released Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman who was captured on February 27 when his MiG-21 among two Indian military aircraft was shot down by Pakistan Air Force after they ventured into the Pakistani airspace.

    Flights between Asia and Europe were disrupted, stranding thousands of passengers, although airlines were later able to reroute through China many flights that normally pass over Pakistan.

    Flights from Singapore to Europe that usually cross Pakistan and Afghanistan, for example, were rerouted westwards over Oman, adding more than an hour’s flying time and boosting fuel costs. Iran also saw heavier use of its airspace, officials said.