PIA - Pakistan International Airlines (PK, Islamabad International) stopped overflying Indian airspace on April 27, 2025, as tensions between the two countries escalate in the wake of an April 22 terrorist attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
ch-aviation analysis of Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows that the Pakistani carrier's flights from Islamabad International and Lahore International to Kuala Lumpur International are now operated through China. Because the airline has to bypass the Tibetan Plateau for safety reasons, the detour adds around three hours of flight time compared to the original schedule.
Kuala Lumpur is PIA's only scheduled eastbound destination. The airline flies to Malaysia 2x weekly from Islamabad and weekly from Lahore.
The airline did not respond to ch-aviation's request for comment.
Following the attack, which was claimed by the Pakistani terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, India took a number of retaliatory steps against Pakistan including revoking all visas and suspending the Indus Water Treaty. In response, Pakistan banned all trade with India and forbade airlines from that country from crossing its airspace. ch-aviation understands that PIA is not formally banned from India and that it is its own decision to bypass the country.
