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Pakistan Disrupts India-Afghanistan Cargo Flights

Pakistan has been preventing Indian cargo flights bound for Afghanistan from using Pakistani airspace, Indian media outlets reported. 

In recent incidents, Pakistan's civil aviation authority reportedly denied SpiceJet cargo flights permission three times in the last week of December and then on January 11 and 14, Zee News reported.

Indian officials have reportedly taken up the matter with Islamabad.

This comes amid ramped up efforts by the country to connect land-locked Afghanistan with India and other countries amid ongoing land route closures on the part of Pakistan.

In September, India’s budget airline Spicejet announced it had linked up with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) to run cargo operations between Delhi and Kabul from October 15.

SpiceJet said in a statement at the time it planned to transport 1,500 tons of cargo every month under the partnership.

“Based on the International Aviation Law, Pakistan should allow us to use its airspace, but so far Pakistan has not given us an acceptable response, we are using all resources to resolve the issue, otherwise we will consult an international aviation company if the matter remains unresolved,” said Farzad Rustami, head of SpiceJet in Afghanistan.

“I think the issue is rooted in politics between India and Pakistan, this must be resolved, because it is against international law, we are a member of the World Trade Organization, they also got the membership of WTO, therefore it is not appropriate, because it harms us and the Indians,” said Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy head of ACCI.

TOLOnews was not able to get comment from the Pakistani embassy in Kabul.

Pakistan Disrupts India-Afghanistan Cargo Flights

Pakistan’s aviation authority reportedly stopped five flights in total.

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Pakistan has been preventing Indian cargo flights bound for Afghanistan from using Pakistani airspace, Indian media outlets reported. 

In recent incidents, Pakistan's civil aviation authority reportedly denied SpiceJet cargo flights permission three times in the last week of December and then on January 11 and 14, Zee News reported.

Indian officials have reportedly taken up the matter with Islamabad.

This comes amid ramped up efforts by the country to connect land-locked Afghanistan with India and other countries amid ongoing land route closures on the part of Pakistan.

In September, India’s budget airline Spicejet announced it had linked up with the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) to run cargo operations between Delhi and Kabul from October 15.

SpiceJet said in a statement at the time it planned to transport 1,500 tons of cargo every month under the partnership.

“Based on the International Aviation Law, Pakistan should allow us to use its airspace, but so far Pakistan has not given us an acceptable response, we are using all resources to resolve the issue, otherwise we will consult an international aviation company if the matter remains unresolved,” said Farzad Rustami, head of SpiceJet in Afghanistan.

“I think the issue is rooted in politics between India and Pakistan, this must be resolved, because it is against international law, we are a member of the World Trade Organization, they also got the membership of WTO, therefore it is not appropriate, because it harms us and the Indians,” said Khan Jan Alokozai, deputy head of ACCI.

TOLOnews was not able to get comment from the Pakistani embassy in Kabul.

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