Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwarul Haq stated that his government may impose an emergency in the territory if India escalates tensions along the Line of Control (LoC).

Authorities have stopped tourists from entering Neelum Valley and other sensitive areas near the LoC due to security concerns. The government has ordered all religious seminaries in the region to close for 10 days, while hotel, guesthouse, restaurant, and marriage hall owners have pledged to place their establishments at the military’s disposal if India attacks.

Meanwhile, Pakistan announced that sections of airspace over Karachi and Lahore will remain closed from 8am to 4pm throughout May, except on Sundays. Flights to and from Gilgit-Baltistan continue to face disruptions due to airspace closure in that region.

Speaking to the Legislative Assembly, PM Haq said his administration is monitoring the Indian frontier and has made arrangements to ensure food, medicine, and other necessities in the 13 constituencies along the LoC.

“We have established an Emergency Response Fund and transferred Rs1bn into it,” he said, adding that border areas have been directed to stock rations for two months. The State Disaster Management Authority, Rescue 1122, and Civil Defense have been placed on alert.

Haq reported that Indian forces had conducted unprovoked firing along the LoC Thursday and received a “strong and timely response” from the Pakistani army.

The airspace restrictions affect routes between flight levels 9,000 and 25,000 feet. Officials say the closure is a precautionary security measure and will not significantly disrupt commercial flights, though the restricted hours are peak times for domestic travel.

In Gilgit-Baltistan, PIA flights from Islamabad to Gilgit-Skardu were cancelled for a second day as airspace remained unavailable between 1:30am and 10pm Thursday.