India shuts skies to Pakistan amid Kashmir attack fallout
India has closed its airspace to Pakistani planes until 23rd May. 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. The decision affects both civilian and military flights.
- The decision is expected to remain in effect until 23rd May.
- It's a response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in the Indian part of Kashmir, which occurred on 22nd April. Twenty-six people were killed. India has accused Pakistan of being involved 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 22nd April.
The decision to close the airspace is projected to remain in effect until 23rd May and includes both civilian and military flights.
India accuses Pakistan of terrorism
Pakistan 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, during a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he emphasised that he "categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident," Sharif's office stated.
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 escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan, who have been competing for control over Kashmir for years. This region, predominantly inhabited by Muslims, has been a subject of dispute since 1989 when the anti-Indian rebellion began. The conflict has already claimed the lives of thousands, and India regularly accuses Pakistan of supporting the rebels.
