ISLAMABAD, May 08, Pakistan’s religious affairs ministry has
launched a 24-hour helpline to assist Hajj pilgrims seeking updates on
flight schedules, an official statement said on Thursday, as the country
faces widespread air travel disruptions linked to escalating military
tensions with India.
The measures follow a sharp military escalation between Pakistan and
India in the early hours of Wednesday after Indian missile strikes
killed at least 31 civilians in Pakistani territory.
Pakistan’s military responded by downing five Indian fighter jets, while
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suspended all flights for 12 hours
and several Asian carriers rerouted flights to avoid the region’s
airspace.
“The help desk will operate 24 hours a day in two shifts,” the statement
said while sharing the telephone numbers. “Hajj pilgrims can obtain
information regarding their flights.”
Pakistan also announced it had temporarily suspended flight operations
at Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot airports, citing “national security”
concerns.
Tensions continue to remain high between the two South Asian nuclear
rivals, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described India’s missile
attacks as a “grave mistake” in a speech on Wednesday night, saying New
Delhi “will have to face consequences.”
The Indian army also said on Thursday the two neighboring states
exchanged small arms and artillery fire overnight along their de facto
border in the disputed Kashmir region split between the two countries.