Pakistan Suspends Flights After Lahore Blast, Border Tensions

(MENAFN) Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) announced on Thursday the temporary suspension of flight operations at major airports across the country due to unspecified operational reasons. The affected airports include Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Islamabad International Airport, and Sialkot International Airport. According to PCAA officials speaking to a news outlet, these flight suspensions will remain in effect until further notice. The authority also stated that air routes will be closed to commercial flights and advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for the most up-to-date information.

This disruption in air travel follows a morning of reported security incidents. Official sources informed a news agency of a blast at a military compound in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, which resulted in four injuries. Separately, Pakistani sources reported that two individuals sustained injuries when an alleged Indian drone crashed near a gas well in the southern Sindh province earlier on Thursday. Authorities also claimed to have shot down drones in the Lahore and Chakwal districts of Punjab province on the same day.

These events occur against a backdrop of heightened tensions along the Line of Control (LoC). On Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Pakistani army's media wing reported that at least 31 civilians were killed and 57 others injured in what they described as an Indian attack on Pakistani territory, followed by an exchange of fire between Pakistani and Indian troops in the disputed Kashmir region.

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