Pakistan’s airspace is completely safe: PCAA
The Pakistan Civil Aviation
Authority (PCAA) reassures that the country's airspace remains safe for all
types of flights, countering the European Air Safety Agency's warning to
airlines about passing through Karachi and Lahore airspace.
The Aircraft Owners and
Operators Association of Pakistan (AOA) also disagrees with the European Air
Safety Agency's safety warning, asserting that Pakistan's airspace is secure
and free from infiltration risk.
The European Union Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) issued an advisory, expressing concerns about the security
situation in Pakistan and credible reports of anti-aviation weapons in the
hands of violent non-state actor groups. EASA indicated a potential threat to
civil aviation for flights flying below 26,000 feet or flight level 260.
The advisory, valid until
January 31 next year, highlighted the Kashmir region's territorial dispute,
warning about potential inadvertent threats to civil aviation due to periodic
military actions and the risk of mistaken identity, especially in Lahore, in
case of escalated tensions.
The European Agency advised
operators not to fly below the 260 flight level to Karachi and Lahore, urging
them to consider this information and any other relevant data while assessing
risks and adhering to guidance from the country's National Aviation Authority.
However, the Civil Aviation
Authority spokesman emphasizes that Pakistan's airspace is safe, and the
Aircraft Owners and Operators Association opposes EASA's safety circular,
urging its withdrawal.
Imran Aslam Khan, CEO of
the association, strongly affirms that Pakistan's airspace is 100 percent safe
and devoid of any danger. He reiterates that the country's airports are also
secure for flight operations, with numerous commercial and private flights
operating daily.
Source: https://minutemirror.com.pk/