EASA and others flag a FIR as airspace with MANPAD RISKS; PAKISTAN not so much? PROBLEM CONTINUES
EASA, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and ICAO, among others, have advised airlines not to conduct flights over FIR Lahore (OPLR) below FL 260 (26,000 feet) due to the POTENTIAL RISK FROM ANTI-AVIATION WEAPONRY and possible terrorist (the presence of violent non-state actor groups) attacks at all airports. The Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has not issued any official statements on the safety of flights, although the government has been quoted to have stated this “’safe’ for all kinds of flight operations.”
This difference of opinion exists though multiple press reports point to risks–
- Protests erupt in Pakistan cities after Imran Khan arrest
- Thousands take to the streets in the capital Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and other cities.
- Protesters are turning on Pakistan’s military after Imran Khan’s arrest.
- Imran Khan: Why protesters are turning on Pakistan’s military after former Prime Minister’s arrest | CNN
- Protests erupt in Pakistan cities after Imran Khan arrest | Al Jazeera
- Pakistan supreme court rules arrest of Imran Khan was illegal | The Guardian
- Pakistan deploys troops to halt unrest after arrest of ex-PM | AP News
As analyzed by Bing AI,
“There is a lot of civil unrest near Lahore, Pakistan, due to the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on corruption charges. His supporters have been protesting across the country, demanding his release and the expulsion of the French ambassador. They have also clashed with the police and the military, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Some of the protesters have attacked and burned the homes of army personnel, which has provoked a strong reaction from the military. The situation is very tense and volatile, and there is a risk of further violence and instability.
“Traveling to Pakistan is possible, but it involves some risks and challenges. According to the U.S. Department of State, Pakistan is currently at Level 3: Reconsider Travel due to terrorism. Some areas have increased risk and are advised to be avoided, such as Balochistan province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the India-Pakistan border and the Line of Control. Terrorist groups continue to plot attacks in Pakistan, targeting civilian, military and government facilities. Violent crime, kidnapping and sectarian violence are also common across the country.”
Conflict zones, an apt description of this situation, have plagued international aviation safety since the MH19 shoot down. ICAO has a web page dedicated to flagging these risks, but this UN international safety organization is all too often put in a position of finding fault with one of its Member States, as with Pakistan here. Efforts to highlight the risks associated with conflict zones have been a frequent and frustrating topic on this website:Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Knowledge & Insight
Can Safer Skies (Canada, Netherlands & ICAO) end the scourge of civil airliners being shot down? 2023
Greater Confidence in International Aviation Awareness of CONFLICT ZONES!!! 2019
Four years after MH17, where is aviation on Conflict Zones? 2018
Coordinated efforts among like-minded countries appear to be the most effective way to prevent reoccurrences of these tragedies!!!
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European Agency Warns Airspace Over Karachi and Lahore Not Safe, Pakistan Disagrees
The European air safety agency has warned of a “continued possible threat” to aircraft flying at low altitudes in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore
The European air safety agency has warned of a “continued possible threat” to aircraft flying at low altitudes in the Pakistani cities of Karachi and Lahore. In an advisory issued last week, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) cited the presence of violent non-state actor groups, that pose a threat to civil aviation in the country.
“Due to the current security situation in Pakistan with the presence of violent non-state actor groups with confirmed anti-aviation weaponry, possibly MANPADS (man-portable air-defence systems) [ likely the Anza Mark-II MANPADS1, there is a continued possible threat to civil aviation resulting in a HIGH risk to operation at altitudes below FL 260,” the advisory issued on Friday read.
The EU advisory, valid until Jan 31, 2024, added that certain region “remains the site of territorial dispute with sporadic military operations posing a potential inadvertent risk to civil aviation due to a potential risk for misidentification in case of military escalation, particularly in the FIR Lahore (OPLR).”
REJECTING THE ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN BODY, THE PAKISTAN CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY (PCAA) SAID ON SUNDAY THAT ITS AIRSPACE IS “SAFE” FOR ALL KINDS OF FLIGHT OPERATIONS.
Insisting that country’s airspace is safe and protected against intrusions, the Aircraft Owners and Operators Association of Pakistan (AOOA) also refuted the EASA’s safety circular to operators and urged its withdrawal. The AOOA said the advisory had “created an excuse to exclude Pakistan from economic activity by creating scares”.
“Pakistan airspace is 100 percent safe and protected against any intrusions,” Imran Aslam Khan, the association’s CEO, was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper. Aslam Khan emphasised that Pakistan’s airports were also safe for flight operations and several commercial and private flights were operating daily.
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This latest advisory comes as Pakistan’s national airline faces flight faces ban amid discussions with EASA and European Commission over larger safety concerns. This came as a result of the May 2020 air crash in Karachi attributed to licensing issues.
EASA spokesperson says “constructive discussions” are ongoing with Pakistani authorities regarding the same.
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