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Modi refuses to use Pakistani airspace for Bishkek visit

Modi refuses to use Pakistani airspace for Bishkek visit
June 12, 2019
NEW DELHI (92 News) – Demonstrating a stubborn behavior, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi refused to use the Pakistani airspace, despite receiving the permission from Islamabad. According to the Indian Today, 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. The report said that Modi's aircraft will not fly over the Pakistan airspace to Bishkek for the SCO summit, the Indian foreign ministry said. “The government of India had explored two options for the route to be taken by the VVIP aircraft to Bishkek. A decision has now been taken that the VVIP aircraft will fly via Oman, Iran and Central Asian countries on the way to Bishkek,” the official spokesperson said. It is noteworthy said that 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.
Modi requests Pakistan to use its airspace to travel to Bishkek
Earlier, the Indian government has requested Pakistan to allow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aircraft to fly over Pakistani airspace on June 13.
Pakistani airspace on its eastern border with India will remain closed until June 14, a civil aviation official said on May 29, the latest extension months after a standoff between the arch rivals. In May, Pakistan granted the request of India to let its Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj overflight to attend the SCO summit in Bishkek. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said that the Indian government had made the request to avoid longer route. Sushma Swaraj had attended the SCO meeting of foreign ministers in Krgyzstan on May 21 and 22, along with Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.