Pakistan said on Saturday that it will not allow President Ram Nath Kovind’s flight to Iceland to pass through its airspace.
President Kovind is scheduled to embark on an official nine-day visit to Iceland, Switzerland, and Slovenia from September 9.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the decision was approved by Prime Minister Imran Khan in response to India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, reported Dawn news.
The relations between the two neighbouring countries have become strained since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5. Qureshi claimed that India had asked for air space clearance for Kovind’s September 9 flight.
While in response to a query regarding denial of overflight clearance for a VVIP special flight by Pakistan, the official spokesperson of MEA, Raveesh Kumar said, “We regret the decision of the Government of Pakistan to deny overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country. We call upon Pakistan to recognize the futility of such unilateral actions.”
.@MEAIndia R. Kumar in response to query regarding denial of overflight clearance for a VVIP special flight by Pakistan: We regret the decision of Govt of Pakistan to deny overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country. pic.twitter.com/hTJ83e6o5G
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) September 7, 2019
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Though Pakistan has been threatening to completely close its airspace for India since the latter announced its decision to abrogate Article 370, no official notification had come in this regard.
Following India’s historic decision, Islamabad has downgraded its diplomatic relations with India and partially closed its airspace. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month used the Pakistani airspace to travel to France for a bilateral meet.
Apart from this, Islamabad has shut its airspace earlier also following the Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrikes in Balakot on February 26 following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack wherein over 40 CRPF personnel killed in Jammu and Kashmir.
On July 16, Pakistan had fully opened its airspace for all flights.
(With ANI inputs)