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Balakot, Kashmir clashes behind US advisory for its airlines to avoid Pakistan airspace

Possibility of terrorists getting access to man-portable air defence systems or MANPADS could also have prompted the US advisory to avoid Pakistani airspace.

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New Delhi: India’s Balakot operation, clashes in the Kashmir region with “little or no warning”, and Pakistani terrorists possibly getting access to man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), prompted the US to warn its air carriers to avoid Pakistani airspace.

The US had Thursday issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) warning its carriers to avoid Pakistani airspace over a “possible extremist attack”, and urged them to exercise caution when flying into or out of the country’s territory. 

According to US officials, some extremist or militant groups operating in Pakistan are suspected to have access to MANPADS. So far, however, there have been no reports of MANPADS being used against civil aviation in Pakistani airspace.

Some of the MANPADS are capable of reaching a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet above ground level.

India-Pakistan clashes in Kashmir region also behind advisory  

In addition to the extremist/militant threat to US civil aviation operations in the territory and airspace of Pakistan, a note prepared by American officials said, there may be flight disruptions and airspace closures implemented due to clashes in the Kashmir region with “little or no warning”.

“On 26 February 2019, the Indian Air Force crossed the Line of Control and claimed to have conducted air strikes against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) extremist/militant training camps, in response to a JeM attack against Indian forces in Indian-administered Kashmir on 14 February,” it said.

On 27 February, Pakistan carried out retaliatory air strikes on Indian military installations in Kashmir.

“India and Pakistan employ a variety of advanced air-to-air fighter aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems capable of targeting aircraft up to and beyond overflight altitudes typically used by civil aircraft,” the note read. “Although India and Pakistan have no intent to target civil aviation, if military operations were to resume, such operations could present an inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation.”

Historically, Pakistan and neighboring air navigation service providers have managed their airspace appropriately to de-conflict and protect civil aviation overflight operations in response to clashes in the Kashmir region, it added.

 

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