india

Updated: Oct 28, 2019 22:53 IST

Pakistan denied the use of its airspace by a special flight carrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia on Monday night, prompting India to take up the issue with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). This is the third time Pakistan has closed its airspace to an Indian VVIP flight since September, and people familiar with developments said such clearances would be routinely granted by a “normal country”.

Islamabad over the weekend turned down New Delhi’s request to allow Modi’s flight to use the Pakistani airspace to fly to Saudi Arabia.

In a statement, Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that they rejected the Indian government’s request on October 27, which he called “the Kashmir Black Day”, and in view of “human rights violations” and “atrocities” in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

The first contingent of the Indian Army landed in Kashmir on October 27, 1947, after J&K’s ruler Hari Singh signed an instrument of accession with India even as he faced an invasion from Pakistan-backed tribal fighters.

Pakistani officials said that the decision about the airspace denial was conveyed to the Indian high commission in Islamabad.

One of the people cited above, who declined to be named, said that India regretted Pakistan’s decision to “yet again deny overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight, which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country”.

The person added, “Overflight clearances are sought, and granted by other countries as per prescribed ICAO guidelines and India will continue to seek such overflight clearances. Separately, we have taken up the matter of such denial with the relevant international civil aviation body.”

The people said that Pakistan should reflect on its decision to deviate from well-established international practice, and reconsider its “old habit of misrepresenting the reasons for taking unilateral action”.

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials, the denial of airspace would mean just a 15-minute additional flying time for Modi’s flight.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen since New Delhi scrapped J&K’s special status in August. The armies of the two countries have exchanged fire along the de facto India-Pakistan border in J&K, the Line of Control (LoC), and New Delhi has accused Pakistan of trying to help terrorists cross over into India.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat on October 20 said that the Indian Army mounted an artillery attack on at least four terror camps and Pakistani military positions across the LoC in retaliation to ceasefire violations meant to assist infiltrators. He added that at least six Pakistani soldiers were killed and heavy terrorist casualties were also inflicted.

Modi was due to travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday night to participate in an international business forum and to hold talks with the country’s top leadership.

Pakistan denied the use of its airspace by Modi’s special flight when he travelled to the US in September to attend the UN General Assembly. In the same month, Pakistan did not grant permission for its airspace to be used by President Ram Nath Kovind’s special flight when he was travelling to Iceland.

The flight carrying Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Kyrgyzstan on June 13 did not fly through Pakistani airspace despite permission for overflight. The decision reflected the frosty nature of bilateral ties after the standoff following the February 14 attack in J&K’s Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers.

India conducted an airstrike on a JeM facility on February 26 and this was followed by an engagement by combat jets near the LoC the following day. Both sides closed their airspace because of the tensions.

India removed all restrictions imposed on its airspace on May 31.