Pakistan govt considering closing airspace to India again – minister

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is considering a complete closure of airspace to India and blocking Indian land trade to Afghanistan via Pakistan, Reuters quoted Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry as saying on Tuesday.

“[The] PM is considering a complete closure of Air Space to India,” the minister tweeted. “A complete ban on the use of Pakistan Land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan was also suggested in cabinet meeting, legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration. Modi has started we’ll finish!”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s move this month to withdraw the special privileges of Muslim-majority Kashmir has increased tension with Pakistan.

Islamabad reopened its airspace in mid-July following a nearly four-month closure imposed in February after an attack by a Pakistan-based militant group in Indian-controlled Kashmir led to clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbors.