Pakistan's national carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) today cancelled fights to northern parts of the country due to airspace restrictions in wake of the Uri terror attack, an airline spokesperson said today.
The move follows the country's Civil Aviation Authority issuing air space restrictions for commercial airlines in the region for September 21st, for at least one day.
Reports said that these restrictions could extend beyond a day depending on the situation.
News agency PTI reported that the PIA had called off flights to Gilgit and Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and Chitral in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Due to northern areas airspace restrictions PIA’s 21st Sep’s flights to Gilgit, Skardu & Chitral have been cancelled. Inconvenience regretted,” PIA spokesman Danyal Gilani said on Twitter.
He did not give any reason for closure of air space but officials said that Pakistani warplanes might be in the air to keep vigil due to Indo-Pak tensions after the Uri attack.
The fights suspended, as per the Civil Aviation authorities include: Islamabad-Skardu flight Pk-451, Skardu-Islamabad flight Pk-452, Islamabad-Gilgit flight Pk-605 and Gilgit-Islamabad flight Pk 606, Islamabad-Gilgit flight of Pk-607 and Gilgit-Islamabad Pk 608, Islamabad-Gilgit Pk-609, Gilgit-Islamabad Pk-610, Islamabad-Peshawar, Chitral Pk-660 and Peshawar, Chitral-Islamabad Pk-661.
Eighteen soldiers were killed and over a dozen others injured as heavily armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the Indian Army in North Kashmir's Uri town early Sunday.
Four militants, allegedly owing allegiance to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad, were killed by the Army.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured the nation following the ghastly attack that the perpetrators will not go unpunished.
