Pakistan briefly closed its airspace to Taiwanese cargo and passenger flights before reopening it within days, Taiwan said on Thursday, in a confusing episode Taipei blames on pressure from Beijing.
Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister, Chen Ming-chi, told AFP that Pakistan had closed and then reopened its airspace to Taiwanese airlines, and said Taiwan suspected China was behind the move.
“We suspect definitely China was behind this,” Chen said. “We condemn Pakistan and if China is behind this, I think that is a very bad practice to use its leverage over the countries in the Global South to do that.”
He added that the closure got in the way of passenger safety and the smooth operation of the global supply chain. Taiwan said it was the first time any country had closed its airspace to Taiwanese commercial flights.
How the closure came to light: aviation observers noticed that Taiwan’s two main carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air, had stopped flying over Pakistan. Flight-tracking data cited by Bloomberg and other outlets showed neither carrier had flown over Pakistan since the morning of October 25, with at least a dozen Asia-Europe flights routed over Russia instead. On Wednesday, October 28, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg that the country’s aviation division follows the “One China” policy and that only mainland Chinese airlines were permitted to fly over Pakistan. “We have permitted only Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan,” Asif said, according to Bloomberg. Taiwan’s foreign ministry condemned the remarks, saying they parroted Chinese narratives, disregarded international realities, denigrated Taiwan’s sovereignty, and politicised and weaponised airspace.
The reversal: within hours, the position appeared to change. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday night that Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority had restored overflight rights for China Airlines and EVA Air, granting permission to use Pakistani airspace from October 28, 2026, to March 27, 2027. Dawn reported that it had seen documents granting that permission, while Nikkei Asia reported that it could not independently confirm the authenticity of documents shared online. A Pakistani government official told Nikkei Asia, on condition of anonymity, that the five-month approval coincided with the aviation industry’s winter scheduling season and was nothing unusual. Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister said the airlines had received notice that Pakistan would lift the ban only temporarily, until the end of winter. Neither China Airlines nor EVA Air would confirm that Pakistan had closed or reopened its airspace when contacted by AFP. Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration said it had never prohibited its airlines from flying over Russian airspace, although Taiwanese carriers had generally avoided it since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Why the route matters: China Airlines and EVA Air normally fly over Pakistan on their Asia-Europe routes. Rerouting further south over the Gulf or further north over Russia adds flying time and fuel costs, and disrupts schedules for passengers and cargo. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island’s participation in international organisations. Pakistan, which severed official relations with Taiwan in 1951 in favour of closer ties with Beijing, has repeatedly reaffirmed its One-China position. Pakistan’s airspace remains closed to Indian airlines, a ban the government recently extended until November 24, according to ProPakistani.
What remains unclear: it is still not publicly explained why the restriction was imposed, why it was reversed so quickly, or whether the permission lasting until March 27, 2027, will remain in place for the full period. Nikkei Asia reported confusion over the policy even in government circles in Islamabad. For now, the practical outcome is that Taiwan’s carriers can once again use Pakistani airspace for the winter season — but the whiplash has left airlines, passengers and governments watching for the next change.
Frequently asked questions: Did Pakistan close its airspace to Taiwan’s airlines? Taiwan says Pakistan briefly closed its airspace to Taiwanese cargo and passenger flights, and Pakistan’s defence minister told Bloomberg the aviation division followed the One-China policy. Pakistan then granted permission for the carriers to use its airspace from October 28, 2026, to March 27, 2027. Which airlines were affected? China Airlines and EVA Air, Taiwan’s two main carriers, which normally fly over Pakistan on Asia-Europe routes and rerouted over the Gulf or Russia from October 25. Is the airspace open again? According to Bloomberg and Dawn, yes — permission runs until March 27, 2027 — although Taiwan says the lifting of the ban is temporary, until the end of winter.
Sources: Free Malaysia Today (AFP) https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/29/taiwan-says-pakistan-briefly-closed-airspace-to-taiwanese-flights ; Nikkei Asia https://asia.nikkei.com/politics/international-relations/taiwan-tensions/confusion-over-pakistan-policy-on-taiwan-airlines-fuels-china-squeeze-fears ; Dawn https://www.dawn.com/news/2040438 ; Radio Taiwan International https://www.rti.org.tw/en/news?uid=3&pid=240580
FILE PHOTO: A generic view of an airplane wing above clouds. Credit: Tobias1984 / Wikimedia Commons. This is a file photo, not a photo of the event described above.
FILE PHOTO: A generic view from an airplane window. Credit: Chiigsss2005 / Wikimedia Commons. This is a file photo, not a photo of the event described above.
