Pakistan denies airspace request for Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia – World

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced on Sunday that Islamabad has denied New Delhi's request to use airspace for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian government requested permission from Pakistan to use the country's airspace on October 28 for the Indian prime minister who will visit Saudi Arabia to participate in an international business conference on October 29.

According to Pakistan Radio, the foreign minister in a statement said the decision has been taken in "today's Black Day context and in view of the continuing serious human rights violations in the busy Jammu and Kashmir."

The minister said the Indian High Commissioner was being informed of this decision in writing.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave for Saudi Arabia on October 28 to participate in the same conference held in Riyadh.

In September, the government also denied India's request that Prime Minister Modi use Pakistani airspace for his flight to Germany.

"Given the situation in occupied Kashmir and the attitude of India witnessed in tyranny and oppression (suffered by cashmere) and violations of rights in the region, we have decided not to grant this request," said the minister Foreign Affairs, Qureshi.

A source at that time had said that under international law, Pakistan is required to grant permission to the Indian prime minister. If rejected, India may appeal to the International Civil Aviation Organization as a result of which Pakistan may be required to pay a substantial fine.

Pakistanis from all over the world and cashmere from both sides of the Control Line (LoC) are watching "Black Day" today to convey their rejection of the illegal occupation of Kashmir by India on October 27, 1947.

Frustration, anger and fear have been growing in the region since August 5, when the Indian government stripped Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status and imposed a curfew and a communications blackout. With a brief restoration in some call and text message services for mobile phone services, repression has continued for more than 80 days.