Pakistan accepts India’s request to allow Sushma Swaraj’s overflight

Pakistan accepts India’s request to allow Sushma Swaraj’s overflight

Islamabad (Web Desk): Islamabad on New Delhi’s request allowed Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj’s flight to go over Pakistani airspace for attending the SCO meet in Bishkek last week, Indian media reported on Monday.

The Hindu news cited officials in Delhi and Islamabad, saying that Sushma Swaraj’s flight was permitted to go over Pakistani airspace as the Indian minister was due to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) session in Bishkek.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Faisal said that the Indian government had made the request to avoid longer route.

Sushma Swaraj attended the SCO meeting of foreign ministers in Kyrgyzstan on May 21 and 22, along with Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Islamabad has closed its airspace for flights to and from India after the February 27 dogfight during which an Indian MiG fighter jet was shot down.

Pakistan has extended airspace restrictions until the end of May, a civil aviation official said on May 16, forcing foreign carriers to take costly detours.