AMN / New Delhi
India has regretted Pakistan’s decision to deny overflight clearance for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s VVIP special flight, the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) said on Wednesday, adding that Islamabad should reflect on its decision to deviate from global practice and reconsider habit of misrepresenting reasons for unilateral action. The MEA’s statement comes barely hours after Pakistan refused to open its airspace for PM Modi’s upcoming visit to the United States via Germany, citing “the current situation in Kashmir”.
“We regret the decision of the government of Pakistan to deny overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight for a second time in two weeks, which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said on response to a query on the recent denial by Pakistan.
Earlier Pakistan denied the use of its’s airspace for his Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an upcoming visit to Germany. Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Wednesday after New Delhi requested Islamabad’s permission.
Announcing the decision via a video statement, Qureshi said the Indian High Commissioner had been informed of Pakistan’s decision to not allow Modi’s aeroplane — the VIP jet Air India One — to fly over the country.
Qureshi noted that the Indian government had sought permission to use the Pakistani airspace for Modi to travel to Germany.
“India had requested Pakistan to allow Modi to use its airspace to travel to Germany on the 21st and return on 28th,” he said.
Earlier this month, Pakistan had rejected India’s request to let President Ram Nath Kovind’s aeroplane to fly over the Pakistani airspace for a visit to Iceland.