New Delhi: With Islamabad closing its airspace for Indian airlines, New Delhi is also considering closing its airspace for Pakistani planes. Tensions between both countries have increased in recent days following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed and several others were injured.
According to a report in the Economic Times, apart from its airspace, India is also looking to close its ports for Pakistani ships. The latest development has come amid continued ceasefire violations by Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC).
In case India closes its airspace for Pakistani flights, this would mean Pakistani forces are forced to change their route over China or Pakistan to reach countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Notably, changes in flight routes would mean airlines taking longer time to reach their destinations.
Tensions between India and Pakistan further increased in recent times
Tensions between India and Pakistan have increased in recent times since the Pahalgam incident. Following the attack, India took several steps against its neighbouring country, including the suspension of the Indus water treaty. Apart from this, New Delhi also decided to reduce its strength at the embassy in Pakistan and asked Pakistani citizens to leave India within the stipulated time. Pakistan on the other hand, also announced its decision to suspend the Simla agreement and closure of its airspace for Indian airlines.
Earlier, speaking at the United Nations (UN) said that Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent admission of his country’s history of supporting terrorist groups exposes Pakistan as a “rogue state”.
India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel said as per news agency PTI, “It is unfortunate that one particular delegation has chosen to misuse and undermine this forum to indulge in propaganda and make baseless allegations against India.”
She added, “The whole world has heard the Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitting and confessing Pakistan’s history of supporting, training, and funding terrorist organisations in a recent television interview.”
