Islamabad: Pakistan refused a request from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cross its airspace on a flight to Germany, Pakistan's foreign minister said on Wednesday, as tensions between the two nations ran high over the disputed region of Kashmir.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Islamabad had told the Indian High Commission it was turning down India's request for Modi to fly across the country on Friday and for his return the following week.
وزیر خارجہ مخدوم شاہ محمود قریشی کا اہم ویڈیو پیغام. pic.twitter.com/G2MRR1zDNJ
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) September 18, 2019
"Keeping in view the situation in occupied Kashmir ... we have decided that we will not allow the Indian prime minister," Qureshi said in a video released by the foreign ministry.
Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said New Delhi regretted Pakistan's decision, adding that it was the second time in two weeks that such a request for a "VVIP" overflight had been denied.
The Pakistani government said last month it was mulling a complete closure of its airspace to India, which would cause headaches for commercial airlines.
Earlier this month, Pakistan also denied use of its airspace to India's President Ram Nath Kovind.