Pak denies entry to Prez Kovind's plane in its airspace

Islamabad has turned down New Delhi's request due to its fresh move on Kashmir. Pakistan is battered by the New Delhi's move to revoke Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Islamabad: Pakistan on Saturday rejected a request made by New Delhi to let the plane of the President Ram Nath Kovind to fly over its airspace.

As per the media reports, Islamabad turned down the request based on the "alarming human rights situation in Kashmir", said Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Qureshi said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had approved the decision to reject the request and added that 'the Indian aggression in Kashmir' was responsible for Pakistan's move.

In August, it was reported that Khan was considering shutting down Pakistani airspace for New Delhi. A complete ban on Indian trade to Afghanistan through Pakistani land routes was also under discussion.

Qureshi said New Delhi's 'barbarism' in Kashmir was a serious issue which he would take up with the UN Human Rights Council.

He added that "34 days have elapsed since Indian authorities imposed a crippling curfew in occupied Kashmir" before revoking the region's special autonomy.

Tensions between the two neighbours have heightened after New Delhi's revocation of the special status to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5.