ISLAMABAD: EVA Air Flight 65 crossed Pakistani airspace early Thursday after aviation authorities renewed permits for Taiwanese airlines, restoring a route the carriers had avoided since Sunday.
The flight from Taipei to Vienna entered Pakistan at around 3:30 am local time, according to Flightradar24 tracking data.
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved overflight schedules for EVA Air and China Airlines on Wednesday. The documents permit passenger and cargo flights from October 28 through March 27, 2027.
Reports of an airspace ban emerged after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg News that Pakistan’s aviation division followed Beijing’s One-China policy. Asif said authorities allowed only mainland Chinese airlines to use Pakistani airspace.
Flight-tracking records showed that the Taiwanese carriers had avoided Pakistan since October 25. At least a dozen flights between Asia and Europe took alternative routes over Russia.
However, a CAA official told Dawn that the authority had issued no Notice to Airmen announcing a ban. The approval documents did not mention earlier restrictions or explain whether the permits reversed a formal policy decision.
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Taiwan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said Taipei suspected Chinese involvement in the reported restrictions.
He warned that denying airlines access to international flight corridors could set a dangerous precedent. Chen offered no evidence linking Beijing to Pakistan’s decision.
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Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry had earlier criticised Islamabad for linking commercial aviation access to China’s position on Taiwan. Pakistan maintains diplomatic relations with Beijing and does not recognise Taiwan as a separate state.
