In a significant fallout of India’s Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has suspended all flights from Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot, disrupting both domestic and international air traffic.
🛑 Flight Suspension Amid Military Escalation
According to Aaj News, flight operations in Lahore and Sialkot will remain suspended until 12 PM on Thursday (local time), impacting thousands of travelers. The PAA has advised passengers to consult airlines directly for real-time updates on flight delays or cancellations.
This move comes hours after the Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes on terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians, including children and tourists.
🔥 Operation Sindoor: Key Highlights from Indian Briefing
At a press briefing in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh disclosed detailed operational and strategic aspects of the strike:
- Nine terror camps were destroyed:
- 4 in mainland Pakistan:
- Bahawalpur (Jaish-e-Mohammed HQ)
- Muridke (Lashkar-e-Taiba)
- Sarjal (Sialkot, JeM)
- Mehmoona Joya (JeM/LeT shared site)
- 5 in PoJK, linked to recruitment, indoctrination, and launching of terrorists.
- 4 in mainland Pakistan:
- These camps were connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.
- Colonel Qureshi confirmed the Sarjal camp in Sialkot was directly tied to the March 2025 attack on J&K police, while Bahawalpur’s Markaz Subhanallah was a long-standing terror headquarters.
💬 Strategic Intent and Execution
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh emphasized:
“Operation Sindoor was a retaliation to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack of April 22… It delivered justice to the innocent victims and their families.”
She noted that Pakistan has hosted a network of 21 terror centers over three decades, including launchpads and indoctrination hubs, all of which were monitored and verified with intelligence before the strike.
The joint operation, conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am, involved coordinated air and ground assets from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
📍 No Civilian or Military Targets Hit
Colonel Qureshi clarified that no Pakistani military installations were targeted, and no civilian casualties have been reported so far. The strikes were calibrated with surgical precision to eliminate only terror infrastructure.
✈️ Airspace Shutdown: A Tactical Reaction?
The closure of airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot signals Pakistan’s heightened military alertness and possibly a defensive posture, fearing further strikes. It also indicates disruption to critical transit hubs, potentially affecting diplomatic and commercial activities.
📌 Conclusion
Operation Sindoor has had both tactical and geopolitical reverberations, significantly crippling Pakistan’s longstanding terror infrastructure while sending a clear message of deterrence. Pakistan’s reactionary flight suspensions reflect the intensity of the strike’s aftermath and India’s resolve to respond decisively to cross-border terrorism.