Part of Lahore, Karachi airspace closed due to security concerns 

The government has decided to close part of the airspace of Lahore and Karachi flight information regions for a one-month period due to security concerns, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Thursday.  

Sources told 24News TV channel that the portions of the airspace would remain closed from May 1 to May 31, from 4:00 AM to 8:00 AM. 

They informed that commercial flights would use alternate routes during this period.  

However, they added, this would not affect the flight operation much.

New Delhi closed its airspace to Pakistani airplanes on Wednesday after Islamabad banned Indian planes from entering its airspace; the latest tit-for-tat measure as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals spiral into a tailspin.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of carrying out the deadliest attack in years on civilians in Indian-occupied Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 men were killed.

Islamabad has rejected the allegation, and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, diplomatic barbs, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.

Pakistan had closed its airspace to Indian aircraft on April 24, while India took a similar measure on Wednesday evening, with the ban to last until May 23, the government notice said.

The notice to air operators said that Indian airspace was not available for Pakistani-registered or leased aircraft -- "including military flights".