Pakistan Restores Overflight Rights for Taiwanese Airlines

The Government of Pakistan restored overflight rights for Taiwanese carriers China Airlines and EVA Air on October 28, 2026, ending a brief restriction that forced flights to reroute over Russia. The ban began on October 25, prompting the Foreign Ministry of Taiwan to condemn Islamabad for politicizing airspace and undermining Taiwanese sovereignty to pander to China.

The reversal occurred shortly after Defense Minister Khawaja Asif defended the restrictions, stating that the aviation division follows the One-China policy and only permits Chinese airlines to fly over Pakistan. Following this stance, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority issued permits allowing the two Taiwanese airlines to use the airspace until March 27, 2027.