India shuts airspace to Pakistani flights amid Kashmir crisis
India has closed its airspace to Pakistani planes until May 23. This decision is a response to the terrorist attack in the Indian part of Kashmir, which killed 26 people.
What do you need to know?
- India has closed its airspace to Pakistani planes. This decision applies to both civilian and military flights.
- The airspace restriction is expected to remain in effect until May 23.
- This is a response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, located in India's part of Kashmir, which occurred on April 22. Twenty-six people were killed. India accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack.
Why did India close its airspace?
Indian authorities decided to close the airspace to Pakistani planes following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22.
The decision is expected to remain effective until May 23 and includes both civilian and military flights.
India accuses Pakistan of terrorism
Pakistan has rejected India's accusations of responsibility for the attack in Kashmir. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described the accusations as "baseless" and called for a "neutral investigation."
On Wednesday evening (Eastern Time), during a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he emphasized that he "categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident," according to a statement from Sharif's office.
Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the terrorists and their accomplices "to the ends of the earth."
The closure of the airspace is another step in the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, who have been vying for control over Kashmir for years. This region, predominantly inhabited by Muslims, has been a point of contention since 1989 when an anti-Indian rebellion began. The conflict has already claimed the lives of thousands, and India regularly accuses Pakistan of supporting the rebels.
