ME3 using Afghan airspace for Northeast Asia flights
 

QR, EK, EY have moved operations through Pakistan skies to Afghanistan for Northern China, Korea, Japan ops, any idea why? cheaper rates? security? even their flights to Northern Pakistan are seen to be using this route

Airlines normally would not proceed beyond Kabul in the past so must be a new route opened, However I noticed Air Arabia would occassionaly use the route when doing Urumqi service some years back.