Pakistan's significant military installation, the Rahim Yar Khan Airbase, is currently inoperative. A retaliatory strike from India has severely damaged the airfield's runway. Pakistan has declared the airbase non-operational for a week.
The notice to airmen (NOTAM) was issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday evening, becoming effective from 4 PM, May 10, until 5 PM, May 18, according to Pakistani time. Consequently, Rahim Yar Khan Noor Base will not be operational during this period.
The Pakistani Civil Aviation Authority stated the closure was due to 'Work in Progress'. However, in a shrewd maneuver, Pakistan has not disclosed the exact activities underway at its military airfield during these critical times. The NOTAM confirms that the airbase will not be operational for flights.
This temporary closure of the vital airbase in the southern part of Pakistan's Punjab province, along with its timing, reaffirms the robust attack conducted by India.
Rahim Yar Khan Airbase, officially known as Shaikh Zayed International Airport, is located near the city of Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab Province, about 4.6 kilometers southwest of the city.
Source: aajtak
During a briefing related to Operation Sindoor on Sunday evening, the Indian Air Force confirmed via satellite images that the runway at Rahim Yar Khan Air Force Base was targeted. This attack had devastated the airfield.
The NOTAM message states:
“RWY NOT AVBL FOR FLT OPERATION WIP”
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and as reported by the Indian Express, the code ‘WIP’ in NOTAM signifies 'Work in Progress'. According to the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ‘WIP’ indicates any ongoing work on the airport surface. Given the specific mention of the runway in the NOTAM, it denotes work on that surface.
Rahim Yar Khan Airbase houses the Shaikh Zayed International Airport. According to available airport data on FlightRadar24, its sole runway, Runway 01/19, has a bituminous surface and is 3,000 meters or 9,843 feet long.
Though operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), the airbase also serves military purposes for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
On May 10, as a counter to the Pakistani attack, India targeted several military airbases in the neighboring country.
India's missile strikes mainly targeted Rafiki, Mureed, Chaklala, Sukkur, Rahim Khan Airbase, Chunian Airbase, Noor Khan Airbase, and Sargodha Airbase. The Rahim Khan airbase, in particular, suffered significant damage, creating a large crater on its airstrip. Pakistan is currently engaged in clearing the debris and repairing the crater.
The main runway of the airbase, approximately 3,000 meters long, was completely destroyed. Satellite imagery and video footage reveal a large crater on the runway. The attack also damaged the air traffic control tower and two hangars. Radar units and other critical infrastructure sustained damage, temporarily halting the airbase's operational capacity.
Pakistani Army spokesman, General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, claimed that India fired air-to-surface missiles at these airbases from its fighter jets.
On Sunday, India announced that during Operation Sindoor, initiated in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, 100 terrorists were killed. In addition, 40 to 50 Pakistani soldiers and officers lost their lives.
