If Pak closed airspace, that's their problem: Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa

June 24, 2019 13:41

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday said that Pakistan closing its airspace was a problem for them and the Indian Air Force never stopped the civil air traffic in the country.

"They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part. You have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civil air traffic," he said at a press conference.

Pakistan extended the ban on its airspace for all Indian flights till June 28. The country had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after the IAF carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot on February 26.

The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14.

In March, Pakistan partially opened its airspace for all flights but not for Indian flights. Since then, foreign carriers using the Indian airspace have been forced to take long detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure has mainly affected flights from Europe to Southeast Asia.

Dhanoa recalled: "Only on February 27 (this year) we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours. We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs.

-- ANI

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