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Tensions rise/ India retaliates against Islamabad, closes airspace to Pakistani airlines
2025-04-30 23:41:16 / BOTA
India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on Wednesday, the government said, days after its nuclear-armed neighbor banned Indian airlines from flying over its territory following the killing of 26 men in an attack on tourists in Kashmir.
The ban will last from April 30 to May 23, the Indian government said in a statement.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a phone call on Wednesday evening that he "categorically rejected India's efforts 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 US to 'negotiate' with India, to "lower the rhetoric and act responsibly".
India's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The impact of the ban on Pakistan's airline industry is likely to be smaller than India's, as only Pakistan International Airlines operates flights to Kuala Lumpur, using Indian airspace.
Last week, Pakistan closed its airspace to airlines owned or operated by India, suspending all trade, including that through third countries, and banning special South Asian visas issued to Indian nationals.
PIA, the national carrier, said on Tuesday that it had decided to avoid Indian airspace due to rising bilateral tensions.
Pakistan said on Wednesday it has "credible information" that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors escalate after the deadly attack on tourists.
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as "terrorists" waging a violent uprising in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Since the attack, the nations have taken a series of measures against each other, including suspending the Indus Water Treaty.
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