During his address, Asif explained that Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace to Indian aircraft prompted India to reciprocate with a closure of its own airspace to Pakistan.

He noted that the closure has affected between 100 to 150 Indian aircraft daily.

From April 24 to June 30, the Pakistan Airports Authority recorded a loss of Rs4.1 billion due to these restrictions. Asif highlighted that a similar situation in 2019 resulted in a loss of Rs7.6 billion for the country.

While acknowledging the financial impact, Asif emphasized that national sovereignty, defense, and the protection of Pakistan remain the government’s top priorities.

Currently, Pakistan’s airspace is open to all airlines except those from India, and Pakistani airlines are also prohibited from flying in Indian airspace.