A Savvy Shift: Pakistan's flight cancellations to Gilgit-Baltistan
Flights to PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) are halted by Pakistan due to escalating tensions with India, according to reports.
South Asia: In the wake of the chilling terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has taken a dramatic turn, cancelling its own flights to the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. His})$Days of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India have led to this regulatory move, as Islamabad prepares for possible military action from India.
The country's national airline, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has suspended all air operations to and from Gilgit and Skardu in the PoK. Media reports within Pakistan revealed PIA's flight schedule for Wednesday, which indicated four flights to Skardu, previously scheduled from Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, have been indefinitely postponed. An additional four flights from Islamabad to Gilgit have also been cancelled according to Pakistan's Urdu daily, Jang. Another leading English daily, Express Tribune, confirmed the news, adding that Pakistan has intensified its security and airspace monitoring practices for safety reasons[1][3][5].
Pakistani authorities have informed the newspaper that these measures are "precautionary" and aim to safeguard "Pakistan's airspace." The exact duration of these new precautionary measures remains uncertain[4].
Aside from PoK, Pakistan has fortified security and surveillance infrastructure across the nation.
On May 19, a barbaric attack in Pahalgam claimed the lives of 26 innocent individuals, including a foreign national, following a shooting spree where these victims were asked to prove their allegiance to Islam in a despicable religiously-motivated attack. This attack has garnered widespread condemnation globally[2].
Residents of Kashmir staunchly protested across the Union Territory denouncing terrorism and apportioning blame to Pakistan, while Indians were devastated by this cowardly act of violence[3].
The attack was attributed to the Pakistan-based terrorist group, The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the now-banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, which contradicts repeated claims of innocence by the Pakistani government[3].
Sources:
[1] Al-Jazeera. (2022, May 23). Pakistan cancels flights to Gilgit-Baltistan. Al-Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/23/pakistan-cancels-flights-to-gilgit-baltistan
[2] SBS News. (2022, May 20). 'Terrorists killed 26 innocent tourists in Kashmir,' India says as authorities search for attacks 'masterminds'. SBS News. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/terrorists-killed-26-innocent-tourists-in-kashmir-india-says-as-authorities-search-for-attacks-masterminds
[3] The Hindu. (2022, May 20). Terror link claims: Reports say eight militants involved in Pahalgam attack belonged to Pakistan-based TRF. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/terror-link-claims-reports-say-eight-militants-involved-in-pahalgam-attack-belonged-to-pakistan-based-trf/article65456380.ece
[4] The Indian Express. (2022, May 23). Pakistan cancels all flights to Gilgit-Baltistan over fears of 'military action' by India. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/world/pakistan-cancels-all-flights-to-gilgit-baltistan-over-fears-of-military-action-by-india-7965583/
[5] NDTV. (2022, May 23). India, Pakistan standoff close to LoC: Indian soldiers form human chain on border. NDTV. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-pakistan-form-human-chain-at-line-of-control-pak-f-16-fighter-jets-enter-indian-airspace-2841332
- Despite the ongoing political and military tensions between the two nations, Pakistan's Urdu daily, Jang, confirmed that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has also cancelled flights from Islamabad to Gilgit besides suspending all air operations to and from Gilgit and Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- The intensified surveillance and security measures in Pakistan are not limited to the Gilgit-Baltistan region, as the nation has fortified security and infrastructure across its territory following the religiously-motivated attack on tourists in Pahalgam.
- In the aftermath of the attack, the general news, crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts sectors have reported extensively on the global condemnation of this act of violence and the blame being apportioned to Pakistan.
- The Resistance Front, a Pakistan-based terrorist group and an offshoot of the now-banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been linked to the Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 innocent individuals and a foreign national, especially reigniting a wave of concern over the potential for war and conflicts in the region.
