Pakistan Opens Its Airspace For PM Modi to Fly to Bishkek For SCO Summit

Tensions between India and Pakistan had worsened after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, this year.

New Delhi: Acting positively on India’s request, Pakistan has permitted PM Narendra Modi’s aircraft to fly through its airspace to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, on June 13 and 14.

Notably, Pakistan had fully closed its airspace for commercial airliners as tensions between the two countries had worsened after India’s military planes had decimated biggest terror hideouts of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camp in Balakot on February 26, to avenge death of 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama.

Speaking to news agency PTI, an official confirmed that the Imran Khan government has approved in principle the Indian government’s request to let Prime Minister Modi’s aircraft fly over the Pakistani airspace to Bishkek.

“The Indian government will be conveyed about the decision once the procedural formalities are completed. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will also be directed to notify the airmen subsequently,” the official said, adding Pakistan was hopeful that India would respond to its offer for peace dialogue.

The official further asserted that Pakistan is still optimistic that India will respond to peace offer despite the fact both premiers were not meeting at the sidelines of the SCO Summit.

Earlier on June 7, Khan in a letter to his Indian counterpart Modi had reportedly said that Islamabad wants talks with New Delhi to resolve all reconcilable problems, including the Kashmir issue.

In a letter to Modi congratulating him on his second term as the prime minister of India, Khan said talks between the two nations were the only solution to help both countries’ people overcome poverty and that it was important to work together for regional development, the Geo TV reported.

Khan said Pakistan desires the resolution of all problems, including that of the Kashmir issue, the report added.