Pakistan restores overflight rights for Taiwanese airlines after brief closure
Taiwan announced Thursday that Pakistan reopened its airspace to commercial flights following a temporary ban.
Temporary ban lifted on routes
Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi stated that the restriction was intended only until the end of winter. Both China Airlines and EVA Air received official notice confirming the restoration of their overflight permissions. These carriers normally use Pakistani skies for their Asia-Europe travel paths.
Flights rerouted during closure period
Tracking data shows that Europe-bound flights flew farther south over the Gulf or north over Russia last weekend. Neither airline confirmed the specific details of the ban when contacted by reporters. The situation remains unusual as this marks the first instance of such a restriction on commercial traffic.
Taiwan officials suspect Beijing involvement
Chen Ming-chi suggested that Beijing was behind the decision to close the airspace temporarily. He argued that the move endangered passenger safety and disrupted the global supply chain operations. China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory and opposes such international exchanges.
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