Indian PM Modi 'uses' Pakistan’s airspace during flight to Paris

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft used Pakistan’s airspace while traveling to Paris from New Delhi, ARY News reported, citing civil aviation sources.

Narendra Modi’s aircraft “India 1” entered Pakistani territory from Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Chakwal and Kohat and remained within the country’s borders for 46 minutes.

Sources privy to the development further said the Indian PM’s aircraft was granted permission due to closure of Afghan airspace.

This is not the first time that Indian PM Narendra Modi’s plane used Pakistani airspace.

Last year in August, Modi’s plane also utilized Pakistan’s airspace while traveling from Poland to Delhi.

The aircraft entered Pakistani territory at 11:00 PM and remained within the country’s borders for 46 minutes.

Read more: CAA stops Indian airline from using Pakistan’s airspace

Narendra Modi visited the Polish capital Warsaw en route to Kyiv, to meet the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In March 2019, Pakistan lifted all airspace restrictions for civilian flights, reopening a crucial transit air corridor over its territory.

The decision came nearly five months after the airspace had been closed due to a military standoff with India. The standoff had been triggered by an attack on a security convoy in India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which resulted in the deaths of 44 paramilitary police officers.

Following this, Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic ties and suspended bilateral trade with India in response to the Narendra Modi-led government’s decision to abrogate the semi-autonomous status of IIOJK in August 2019.