India lodges complaint with ICAO over Pakistan's denial of permission to use its airspace for Narendra Modi's flight to Saudi Arabia

New Delhi: India has taken the matter of Pakistan’s move to deny permission to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special flight to use its airspace, to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), sources in the government have said. According to the sources, overflight clearances are sought and granted by other countries as prescribed by the ICAO guidelines. [caption id=“attachment_7416091” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. AP[/caption] “Overflight clearances are sought and granted by other countries as per the prescribed guidelines of the ICAO. India will continue to seek such overflight clearances. We have taken up the matter of such denial with the civil aviation body,” said the sources. “Pakistan should reflect upon its decision to deviate from well established international practice, as well as reconsider its old habit of misrepresenting the reasons for taking unilateral action,” added the sources. The sources said, “We regret the decision of the Government of Pakistan to yet again deny the overflight clearance for VVIP special flight, which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country.” This comes hours after Pakistani media quoted Pakistan foreign minister to report that Islamabad has turned down New Delhi’s request for the use of its airspace for Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia. “Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday announced that Islamabad has denied New Delhi’s request for use of airspace for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” reports Dawn. According to media reports, India had sought Pakistan’s permission to use the country’s airspace on 28 October for Prime Minister Modi, who will be visiting Saudi Arabia to participate in an international business conference on 29 October. Radio Pakistan reported that Qureshi said in a statement on Sunday that Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria will be informed of Islamabad’s decision in a written form. Pakistan had earlier also denied Prime Minister Modi access to its air space for his visit to the United States to attend the 74th UN General Assembly session on 20 September. Prior to this, President Ram Nath Kovind had also been denied permission to use Pakistan’s airspace for his official trip to Europe.