After India's airstrike on Pakistan's Rahim Yar Khan airbase in the Punjab province, the base's single runway has been reported out of service for seven days by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) released by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) on Saturday night.
The NOTAM, seen by The Indian Express, came into effect at 4 PM local time in Pakistan (4:30 PM IST) on the 10th of May and will continue to be effective until at least 4:59 AM Pakistan time (5:29 AM IST) on the 18th of May.
The alert cited "work in progress" as the reason for the closure, without explanation, and verified that the runway is now off-limits to flight activities. The nature and timing of the closure have lent credibility to accounts that the runway was hit by an Indian missile directly and needs extensive repair work.
In a formal briefing on Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force confirmed this judgment, showing satellite photos that attested to damage to the Rahim Yar Khan runway due to Indian attacks.
The NOTAM read: "RWY NOT AVBL FOR FLT OPERATION WIP." The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines the abbreviation "WIP" as "work in progress." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States also employs the term to refer to maintenance or repair work on airport surfaces. The fact that the runway is mentioned specifically means that the repair activity is targeted on the landing strip itself.
The Rahim Yar Khan airbase, used to support operations of the Sheikh Zayed International Airport as well, has one runway—Runway 01/19. This bitumen-surfaced runway is 3,000 metres (9,843 feet) long, according to Flightradar24 data.
The airbase was one of a number of major military bases hit by India during a four-day escalation of cross-border tensions. Other locations targeted were Rafiki, Murid, Chaklala, Sukkur, and Juniya, all of which were attacked by Indian Air Force aircraft using precision-guided munitions. These attacks were in response to Pakistan's attempted airspace incursions and were part of a broader military campaign in response to the April 22 Pahalgam massacre, during which 26 Indian tourists were murdered in a terror attack blamed on Pakistan-backed agents.
India's early-morning air strikes on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, initiated what has been called the most fierce phase of India-Pakistan military action in decades. The battle heated up with Pakistan unleashing drone and missile strikes along the LoC and international border, leading to India retaliating with strong strikes against several Pakistani military installations.
A ceasefire was agreed on in the evening of Saturday, but tensions in the area are high.
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