India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on Wednesday, days after Pakistan banned Indian flights from flying over its territory following the terrorist attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 men.
The ban will last from April 30 to May 23, the Indian government said in a notice.
Sharif Denies India’s Allegations
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call on Wednesday evening that he “categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
He called for a transparent, credible and neutral investigation and urged the U.S. to impress upon India to “dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly,” it added.
India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Airspace Closure’s Impact
The impact of the ban on Pakistan’s airline industry is likely to be smaller than on India’s since only Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) operates routes to Kuala Lumpur using Indian airspace.
Last week, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian-owned or operated airlines, suspending all trade, including through third countries and halting special South Asian visas issued to Indian nationals.
PIA, the national carrier of Pakistan, said on Tuesday it had decided to avoid Indian airspace in the wake of rising bilateral tensions.
‘Imminent’ Indian Strike
Pakistan said on Wednesday it has “credible intelligence” that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following the deadly terrorist attack on tourists.
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as “terrorists” waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Since the attack, the nations have unleashed a raft of measures against each other, including suspending the Indus Water Treaty.
(With inputs from Reuters)
