Pakistan considering closing air space to India — minister

In this file photo, Air Traffic Control Engineers use screens displaying real-time panoramic views of the runways and docking gates, as they work on a non-operational trial in the NATS Digital Tower Laboratory, inside the control tower at London Heathrow Airport in west London on Jan. 23, 2019. (AFP)
Updated 27 August 2019
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Pakistan considering closing air space to India — minister

  • Also mulls blocking Indian land trade to Afghanistan via Pakistan, minister for science and technology says
  • Pakistan reopened its airspace in July after a nearly four month closure that forced long detours and cost airlines millions in losses

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is considering a complete closure of air space to India and blocking Indian land trade to Afghanistan via Pakistan, the minister for science and technology said on Twitter.
“PM is considering a complete closure of Air Space to India, a complete ban on use of Pakistan Land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan was also suggested in cabinet meeting, legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration ... #Modi has started we’ll finish!,” Fawad Chaudhry wrote.
The tweet gave no more details on why Pakistan would be considering the moves against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government now. Officials were not immediately available for comment.
Pakistan had reopened its airspace in mid-July after a nearly four month closure imposed in February after an attack by a Pakistan-based militant group in Indian-controlled Kashmir led to clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Each country carried out air strikes on the other’s territory and warplanes fought a dogfight above the disputed Kashmir region in which an Indian fighter jet was shot down.
The months of restrictions forced long detours that cost airlines millions of dollars.
Modi’s surprise move this month to withdraw the special privileges of Muslim-majority Kashmir has also increased tension with Pakistan.