India Allows Imran Khan to Use Indian Airspace

Pakistan PM Imran Khan going to Sri Lanka for two days tour. India approved the use of airspace, will not have to go around. Sri Lanka has canceled Imran's speaking program in Parliament.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who is going to Sri Lanka on a two-day tour has been allowed by India to enter its airspace. According to ANI, Imran, who is leaving for Sri Lanka on Tuesday, will now be able to reach Sri Lanka directly.

In 2019, Pakistan refused to open its airspace for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's flights. Then PM Modi was supposed to go to America and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan attributed the alleged human rights violation in Kashmir. Whereas VVIP aircraft are generally permitted. India had complained to the International Civil Aviation Organization. After two years, India could have refused to allow Imran's aircraft to enter the airspace, but it did not. Imran Khan is to meet Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo. Apart from this, he will also participate in an investor conference. He was scheduled to address the Parliament of Sri Lanka on 24 February. However later there were reports in Sri Lankan media that it was canceled.

Sri Lanka's Daily Express quoted Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colambage as saying that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had requested the cancellation of the address because of Covid-19. However, the same newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that there were elements within the Sri Lankan government who did not want Imran to speak because he feared that doing so would worsen relations with India. After all, Relations are already in a tussle with the cancellation of a deal at the East Container Terminal in Colombo Port. There was speculation that Khan would raise the issue of Kashmir during his speech, which could upset India. The Pakistani media created a lot of outrage over this aspect.

Another speculation was that the government in Sri Lanka was concerned that Khan might speak out for the rights of Muslims who have suffered abuse at the hands of the Buddhist majority, anti-Muslim sentiments, and increased governmental actions. Besides, the Sri Lankan government made cremation mandatory for Muslims who died of Covid-19 in the country. However, the government freed the Muslims from the cremation earlier this month and they were opposed to the issue globally. Later allowed to bury his dead. Khan had welcomed the decision of the Sri Lankan government. (Including IANS inputs).