Rising tensions between India and Pakistan triggered an 8-hour closure of Pakistan’s major airports on May 7, 2025, delaying key Hajj flights and stranding thousands of pilgrims.
A sharp escalation along the India–Pakistan border early Wednesday led to the temporary closure of Pakistan’s main airports, including those in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
The 8-hour suspension disrupted Hajj 2025 departures, leaving thousands of pilgrims in limbo during a peak travel window.
India launched a series of missile strikes into Pakistan, referred to as “Operation Sindoor,” targeting several locations in Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Passengers wait at Jinnah International Airport after all domestic and international flights were cancelled in Karachi on May 7, 2025. India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery along their contested frontier on May 7, after New Delhi launched missile strikes on its arch-rival in a major escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbours. New Delhi announced it had carried out “precision strikes at terrorist camps” at nine sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, days after it blamed Islamabad for a deadly at
While India asserted these strikes targeted terrorist infrastructure in response to a prior attack in Kashmir, Pakistani officials reported that the attacks struck civilian areas, resulting in casualties and damage to property, including the destruction of mosques in Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, and Kotli, as well as hitting a dam and residential areas in other locations like Muridke and Shakargarh.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) at approximately 2:00 AM local time, following reports of cross-border military strikes.
Grounding all flights at the country’s busiest airports until operations resumed around 10:00 AM.
The timing of the shutdown, coinciding with critical Hajj departures, caused widespread delays.
Pilgrims already inside terminals, many of them elderly, faced hours of uncertainty and limited communication. Airport staff and airlines struggled to manage congestion and provide accurate updates.
The May 7 disruption affected several scheduled flights, creating a cascading effect on the day’s itinerary.
Source: newsnsn
