Pakistan has again issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) for the Rahim Yar Khan Airbase, which was targeted during an Indian Air Force strike in May 2025. The runway has not yet been fully restored and is expected to remain closed until August 15, 2025.
Sources indicate that the runway of the Rahim Yar Khan Airbase suffered significant damage, and repair work is still incomplete. The NOTAM issued by Pakistan suggests that the airbase has not yet become fully operational. The Pakistani government last issued a NOTAM regarding this on July 18.
Located near the city of Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan’s Punjab province, this airbase is strategically important. According to Flightradar24, it has a single runway, 01/19—a bituminous surface, 3,000 meters or 9,843 feet in length. The Pakistan Air Force operates a majority of its flights from here.
This airbase is located near the Indian border. Rahim Yar Khan is also important because it serves military operations on one side and civil purposes on the other. The Sheikh Zayed International Airport is also located here.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Air Force successfully targeted this strategic airbase on May 10, 2025. India used DRDO’s Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) in that attack, which severely impacted the usability of the runway.
This recent NOTAM makes it clear that Pakistan has still not recovered from the strategic impact of that strike and will take more than three months to reactivate the important airbase like Rahim Yar Khan.