New Delhi: India is contemplating the closure of its airspace to Pakistani carriers. If this happens, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights will have to reroute over China or Sri Lanka to reach destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. This comes days after Pakistan shut down its airspace for Indian aircraft.
India may also deny berthing rights to Pakistani vessels in Indian ports.
Both these measures are likely to affect the Pakistan economy that has already been declared extremely fragile by international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
A senior official has said that more such measures are on the anvil to tighten screws on Pakistan for its role in the Pahalgam terror attack.
Terrorists shot dead 26 persons, most of them tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. Investigations have revealed that several of the terrorists involved were Pakistani, pointing to the neighbouring country’s direct role in the massacre of innocents.
India has since then downgraded Pakistan’s diplomatic status and held the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Pakistani nationals have also been ordered to leave India and the Attari border has been closed down.
Pakistan has put up a brave front and cancelled the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LOC). For the last several nights, Pakistani troops have been targetting Indian positions along the LOC with small arms fire. The Indian Army has retaliated in an effective manner.
