Pakistan turns down India's request to open its airspace for PM Modi's US trip
New Delhi, Sep 18: Pakistan has turned down an overflight request by India for Prime Minister Modi's flight to the United States trip later this week.
"We have conveyed to the Indian High Commission that we will not allow use of our air space for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flight,' said Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
India had formally requested Pakistan to allow the use of its air space for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flight to New York, US.
The development comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue. Earlier this month, Pakistan had refused to allow the use of its airspace for President Ram Nath Kovind's flight. The President was due to travel to Europe for a three-nation tour.
'No chance' of bilateral talks with India: Imran Khan
Modi will visit the US from September 21-27 during which he will address the annual UN General Assembly session and have a series of bilateral and multilateral engagements in New York.
According to the list of speakers, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to address the UNGA session on September 27, shortly after Modi's speech.
Earlier this month, Pakistan had denied permission to President Ram Nath Kovind's aircraft fly over it during an official trip to Iceland.
Pakistan fully closed its airspace on February 26 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot following the Pulwama terror attack in Kashmir in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
However, in March, it partially opened its airspace but kept its ban for the Indian flights.