Jammu, May 10, 2025- The Indian Air Force , led by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, has exposed Pakistan of jeopardangering civilian airliners by keeping its civil airspace open during a failed drone and missile attack on India on May 7, 2025. The claim, raised during a briefing on “Operation Sindoor,” suggests Pakistan used commercial flights as a shield to deter Indian counterstrikes, raising serious aviation safety concerns near the India-Pakistan border.
Singh stated, “Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defense response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners, including the international flights which were flying near the International Border (IB) between India and Pakistan.”
Presenting FlightRadar24 data, Singh showed civilian flights operating between Karachi and Lahore during a high air defense alert in the Punjab sector on May 7-8, 2025. “The airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore,” she said. India’s airspace closure contrasted with Pakistan’s active routes, including flights by Etihad, Emirates, and Qatar Airways.
Pakistan allegedly launched 300-400 drones targeting civilian and military sites in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Indian defenses, including the S-400 system, neutralized the threats. The attack followed India’s “Operation Sindoor,” which struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7, in response to a Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians.
Pakistan retaliated with strikes on 26 Indian locations, triggering blackouts and sirens in Jammu. FlightRadar24 reported over 100 commercial flights in Pakistani airspace during the conflict, including an AirSial flight near Lahore on May 8. India closed 24 airports, including Srinagar and Jammu, until May 15, 2025, canceling 430 flights, while Pakistan saw 147 cancellations.
The IAF avoided immediate retaliation to protect civilian aircraft, destroying one Pakistani radar instead. Colonel Sophia Qureshi noted India’s airspace closure as a safety measure, unlike Pakistan’s “irresponsible” approach. Pakistan’s airspace ban on Indian airlines, effective April 24 to May 25, 2025, has cost Indian carriers like Air India $600 million annually, while Pakistan loses overflight fees.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri criticized Pakistan’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. X posts echo Indian anger, though unverified. Pakistan denies using civilian flights as shields, claiming operational needs. The UN and G7 have called for restraint amid 14 nights of ceasefire violations along the LoC.
With Lahore’s airport 17 km from the IB and Karachi 173 km from the LoC, risks to flights persist. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, visiting shelling-hit Rehari and Roopnagar, pledged aid. As tensions continue, airlines like Emirates divert routes, and the aviation community braces for further disruptions.