Breaking Down The News: How Pakistan Used Civilian Planes as Cover During Drone Attacks – India Must Demand a Global Inquiry
On the night of 8th–9th May 2025, Pakistan escalated its hostilities by launching a massive aerial intrusion along the India-Pakistan border. Nearly 300 to 400 drones violated Indian airspace, targeting key military installations across sectors from Leh to Sir Creek. In parallel, heavy artillery shelling and drone attacks were carried out on Indian military positions in Tangdhar, Uri, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur. The Indian Armed Forces responded swiftly, intercepting many drones using kinetic and non-kinetic methods and launching retaliatory strikes on four Pakistani air defense sites, destroying at least one radar system. But amid this high-stakes military conflict, a darker, more insidious strategy emerged—one that demands global outrage and immediate investigation.
According to a detailed briefing by Indian authorities, Pakistan did not shut down its civilian airspace during the period of active hostilities. In fact, data from global flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 revealed that commercial flights were still operating over Pakistani airspace, including routes dangerously close to potential conflict zones. The most damning example cited was a FlyNAS Airbus A320 flight that departed Dammam at 17:50 hours and landed in Lahore at 21:10 hours. This flight, along with several others, passed through Pakistani skies while the Indian Air Force remained on high alert for incoming drones and missile threats.
In contrast, India had fully cleared its civilian airspace in the Punjab sector during this critical window, ensuring that no civilian aircraft were at risk in case of any retaliatory action. Pakistan, on the other hand, continued operating flights through the same aerial corridors where its military assets were launching attacks. By doing so, it knowingly endangered innocent lives and potentially placed foreign carriers at risk—all in the hope that India would hesitate to respond.
This is not merely reckless behavior. It is a calculated act of state-sponsored endangerment. Using civilian airliners as passive shields during military action is a direct violation of international humanitarian law. Much like placing weapon depots near hospitals or hiding behind human shields, it exploits the rules of warfare for strategic advantage while putting non-combatants at mortal risk. Had India not shown restraint, the world might have witnessed a catastrophic shootdown of a civilian plane—an event with global diplomatic, humanitarian, and aviation safety consequences.
India’s restraint, however, should not be mistaken for weakness. It was a deliberate and disciplined decision taken with the lives of uninvolved civilians in mind. The Indian Air Force carefully avoided triggering engagements that could risk collateral damage, even as it retaliated against Pakistan’s drone aggression. This posture reinforces India’s status as a responsible global power adhering to the norms of international warfare.
But restraint cannot and should not mean silence.
India must demand a full international inquiry into Pakistan’s misuse of civilian airspace during a declared military operation. The matter must be taken up with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and the United Nations Security Council. Global airlines that use Pakistani airspace deserve to know how close they came to becoming unwitting participants in a conflict zone. Civil aviation authorities must reassess flight permissions over Pakistan, and strict protocols should be mandated to prevent such dangerous overlap of military operations and civilian traffic in the future.
Let’s not forget, a single mistake could have turned this into a tragedy of global proportions. Pakistan didn’t just challenge Indian sovereignty—it risked the lives of countless passengers aboard international flights, all for the illusion of strategic depth.
India showed maturity. Now, the international community must show resolve. The skies nearly burned—and the world must hold Pakistan accountable before it happens again.
