Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s VVIP flight passed through Pakistani airspace on Friday on his way to Italy for the Group 20 summit and will return via the same route after getting formal approval from Islamabad. This was told in a news report in Pakistani media on Sunday. Prime Minister Modi’s aircraft Boeing 777,300ER, K7006 entered Pakistani airspace at Bahawalpur, passed over Turbat and Panjgur and reached Italy via Iran and Turkey, The Express Tribune reported.
According to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) sources, Indian officials had sought permission from Pakistan’s foreign ministry to use its airspace for Modi’s special flight. Pakistan accepted the request and allowed the Prime Minister of India to pass through its airspace. Relations between the two countries have deteriorated after India’s announcement in August 2019 to end the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two union territories.
Modi’s plane will return via Pakistan
India has told Pakistan that it wants normal neighborly relations with Islamabad in an environment free from terrorism, hostility and violence. Prime Minister Modi arrived in Italy on Friday to attend the Group 20 summit. The news quoted a CAA spokesperson as saying that Prime Minister Modi’s plane will again pass through Pakistani airspace in order to return to India after the climate summit in Glasgow.
Pakistan did not give permission in 2019
Earlier, an Indian commercial aircraft had also used Pakistani airspace after obtaining necessary permissions, according to the newspaper. Last month, Prime Minister Modi’s plane went to the US via Pakistani airspace. Its airspace was used after getting permission from Pakistan. At the same time, in October 2019, Pakistan rejected India’s request to allow Modi’s flight to Saudi Arabia to use Pakistani airspace.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (file photo)
.