Pakistan Acts Sticky Over Airspace Use From India To UAE

Last updated on November 6th, 2021 at 04:29 am

Pakistan -Indian diplomatic channels are seeking a way out to get Pakistan to drop its sticky point over the newly inaugurated flight service between Srinagar and Sharjah city in UAE.

Inaugurated under the banner of GoFirst flight (formerly GoAir), by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Jammu & Kashmir in October, the flight uses Pakistan airspace that helps cut the travel time between the countries.

But Pakistan government has bulldozed the overflight clearance from October 31 to November 30. Though they had granted overflight clearance to the flights on October 23, 24, 26, and 28, it is unclear why Pakistan is playing sticky on this.  The actual flight time from Srinagar to Sharjah is 3 hours and 40 minutes; whereas in absence of Pakistan’s clearance of airspace the flight has to be routed through Rajasthan and Gujarat, heading towards the United Arab Emirates via Oman’s Airspace, increasing flight time to 4hours and 20 minutes.

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Flightradar24, a flight-tracking website shows that several other flights from India to West Asia and Europe are continuing to use Pakistani airspace.  “This matter was promptly taken up with Pakistan through diplomatic channels and we have requested Pakistan to grant overflight clearance for this flight in the larger interest of the common people who have booked tickets on this route,” an unidentified official has given a formal press statement.

“Pakistan did the same thing with the Air India Express flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010,” says Omar Abdullah on Twitter. “I had hoped that GoFirst being permitted to overfly Pak airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations but alas that wasn’t to be”, he commented on November 3rd. He further called this as an unfortunate move by Pakistan. Whereas Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Democratic Party chief shared her sentiments in a different way, saying, “It was “puzzling” that the Centre did not secure permission from Pakistan to use its airspace for international flights from Srinagar. “Only PR extravaganza without any groundwork”.