Days after Pakistan denied the use of its airspace for flights originating from Kashmir, India on Thursday, 4 November, requested Pakistan to grant overflight clearance for GoAir's Srinagar-Sharjah flight.
“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,” a government source indicated to PTI.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on 23 October had inaugurated a GoAir flight connecting the Srinagar in India to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The flight had marked the revival of a direct connection between the Valley and the UAE after 11 years.
Shortly after the flight was inaugurated, Pakistan had denied permission to the flight to travel over its territory.
“Pakistani authorities had granted overflight clearance to GoFirst flights to operate the Srinagar-Sharjah sector on October 23rd, 24th, 26th and 28th,” a government source told PTI. The clearance was then put on hold from 31 October to 30 November.
The denial of permission to fly over Pakistan's territory means that the flight from Srinagar to Sharjah will have to fly via Udaipur, Ahmedabad, and Oman, making the journey longer by about 45 minutes and more expensive.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, speaking at a press briefing in Islamabad, said, "The over-flight permission for such flights has been denied," he said, adding, "There are various aspects to this issue and the concerned authorities are fully seized of it."
"As a long outstanding dispute, it (Kashmir) remains on the agenda of the UN Security Council pending its resolution and final disposition in accordance with UNSC resolutions,” Ahmed was quoted as saying by PTI.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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