Global carriers Air France, Germany's Lufthansa and other airlines have cautiously decided to avoid the Pakistan airspace. This decision comes amid rising tensions between nuclear-armed nations India and Pakistan.

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Islamabad has been exhibiting its military prowess, while India has ordered mock drills to be conducted across 244 districts in the country. This comes after the country witnessed a dastardly attack on tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.

Lufthansa released a statement alerting flyers about a possible delay due to a change in the route. The airline mentioned that their aircraft will be avoiding Pakistani airspace, and so the journey could take longer to reach destinations in Asia.

Also read: Pahalgam Terror Attack LIVE: UNSC members refuse to accept Pakistan's “false flag” narrative; Officials arrive at Home Ministry for meeting to conduct mock drills

The statement read: "Due to the current situation, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group are avoiding Pakistani airspace until further notice. This will result in longer flight times on some routes to Asia."

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It added, "We regret any inconvenience caused by the resulting delays. We kindly ask all passengers to check their flight status in the app or on the website before departure. Lufthansa Group is, of course, continuing to monitor the current developments closely. Safety is the top priority for all airlines in the Lufthansa Group at all times."

Pahalgam terror attack

On April 22, tourists were enjoying the scenic beauty of the Baisaran meadow, a location popular among travellers. While spending time with their loved ones, the tourists suddenly heard rounds of gunshots and the armed men held many at gunpoint and shot at close range.

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The attack is said to have been orchestrated and planned by The Resistance Front, which is an offshoot of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).   Soon after claiming responsibility, the terror outfit shifted gears and in a U-turn move, hinted that their social media account was hacked. Also distancing themselves from the statement they released.

Condemning the incident, former J&K DGP Shesh Paul Vaid said, "This is Pulwama 2 moment of India. This was a Hamas-style attack on 7 October on Israel."

On Thursday (Apr 24), PM Modi said, "Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and those backing them. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism."