Pak refuses to let President jet fly over its airspace

New Delhi/Islamabad: India on Saturday criticised Pakistan for denying permission to President Ram Nath Kovind’s aircraft to fly over it during an official trip to Iceland, and asked Islamabad to recognise the “futility” of such unilateral actions.

India’s reaction came hours after Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan has refused India’s request to allow President Kovind to use its airspace for his flight to Iceland. President Kovind will undertake an official visit to Iceland, Switzerland and Slovenia from September 9 to 17.

The decision to turn down India’s request was approved by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in view of the “tense” situation in Kashmir, Mr Qureshi told Pakistan state broadcaster PTV, according to news agency reports from Islamabad. The Pakistan government was under pressure from the country’s Opposition and some ministers there to impose restrictions at least on VVIP flights from India regarding use of Pakistani airspace after media reports surfaced last month that the aircraft carrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France had used Pakistani airspace. A hue and cry had subsequently ensued in Pakistan. Sources in New Delhi indicated that request for permission to allow flights carrying the country’s high-ranking dignitaries is part of the standard protocol and that it is up to Islamabad to approve or reject the request. But this also means that the VVIP flight carrying President Kovind will have to take an alternate route over the Arabian Sea that will mean more hours of flying time to Europe. This may also mean minor changes in the departure time or schedule.

Air India One aircraft carries the country’s three VVIPs — President, Vice-President and Prime Minister — on overseas official visits.

Pakistan had fully closed its airspace in late February after an Indian Air Force (IAF) strike on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26. But Islamabad had reportedly fully opened its airspace for all civilian traffic on July 16.

The latest round of tensions came after India last month bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir and revoked Article 370 that had granted special status to the state. While India said it was an internal matter there was a furious reaction from Pakistan.