President Ram Nath Kovind (TOI photo)

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has denied Air India One the use of its airspace to fly President Ram Nath Kovind to Europe next week. AI's Boeing 747 will now take the longer route when the President leaves on Monday (September 9) for Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia. He will take the same longer route on his return from the three-nation tour on September 17.

The country's foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told state broadcaster PTV on Saturday that the decision to deny President Kovind's flight use of Pak airspace "was approved by PM Imran Khan ".

"The Indian President had sought permission to use Pakistan's airspace to travel to Iceland but we decided not to permit him," Qureshi said, adding the decision was taken in view of India's "behaviour".

Responding to questions, the MEA spokesperson 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." The MEA spokesperson said, "We call upon Pakistan to recognise the futility of such unilateral actions." Now, the President's flying time to and from Europe will increase by 50 minutes as it will tentatively take this route - Delhi-near Mumbai-Arabian Sea (steering clear of Pakistan airspace around Karachi) - Muscat - and then to Europe. The straight route would have entailed flying from Delhi to Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran to Europe.



In Video: President Ram Nath Kovind's plane cannot enter our airspace, says Pakistan