European air safety agency cautions airlines while flying over Pakistan

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has adviced airlines not to fly below FL 260 altitude while flying over Lahore and Karachi in Pakistan due to the current security situation, which involves terrorist elements—which Islamabad calls 'non-state actor groups'— possibly possessing anti-aviation weaponry, such as MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems)

FL260 conventionally refers to an altitude above 26,000 feet.

What does it mean?

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While EASA's advisory is not mandatory, it stillhighlights a potential threat to civil aviation at altitudes below FL 260.

Pakistan's support of cross-border terrorism into India's Jammu and Kashmir continues to pose risks to civil aviation.

Air operators have been told by EASA to consider this information in their risk assessments, along with guidance from their national authority.

This is not the first time that such an advice has been issued.

Similar advisories were issued to French and German air operators over the last year. It hadrecommended all operators to "exercise extreme caution" when flying over the country and not to fly below 24,000 feet (7,300 metres).

Despite EASA's advisory, no specific threat of attack has been mentioned for flights into, out of, or within Pakistan.

Also watch |Taliban govt accuses Pakistan of providing airspace to US drones

The safety agency's role is to ensure safe air operations by formulating rules, standards, and guidance, certifying aircraft and equipment, and overseeing aviation organisations worldwide.

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) statedthat EASA's instructions are routine and that there has been no communication of any threat to European airlines from Pakistan's airspace.

The CAA spokesperson reassured that Pakistan's airspace is entirely safe for all types of commercial flights.

"Pakistan's airspace is completely safe for all types of commercial flights," a CAA spokesperson was quoted as saying in Pakistani media.

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