Pakistan refuses Indian president's request to use its airspace

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has refused the request made by New Dehli to use its airspace for the plane of Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, stated Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Saturday.

As per details, Qureshi told ARY News that Islamabad took the decision to reject India’s permission owing to New Dehli’s consistent human rights violation in occupied Kashmir where the curfew has entered 34th day today.

https://www.facebook.com/arynewsasia/videos/406548839999279/

 

India had requested Pakistan to fly over its airspace for the Indian president who is scheduled to visit Iceland.

The foreign minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved of the decision to reject the request.

Earlier in June, demonstrating a sheer mulish behavior, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had refused the overflight of his aircraft from Pakistani airspace, despite receiving the permission from Islamabad.

The Hindu reported that India had forwarded the request to Pakistani officials to let Modi’s overflight to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan during June 13-14 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

Islamabad had approved in principle the Indian government’s request in this regard. Nevertheless, Modi opted to fly via Oman-Iran route instead of Pakistani airspace.

In May, Pakistan had also granted the request of India to let its former Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj overflight to attend the SCO summit in Bishkek.