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INDIA GRANTED PERMISSION TO PAK TO OVERFLY INDIAN AIRSPACE

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 2/25/2021 11:20:17 AM

T K NANDANAN As a gesture of a neighbor’s goodwill, India granted permission to overfly Indian airspace for the aircraft carrying Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan en route to Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening. It may be recalled that in 2019 on three occasions Pakistan refused permission for Indian VVIP aircraft carrying President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to overfly Pakistan airspace. As a result, India approached the International Civil Aviation Organization against Pakistan’s decision to refuse permission for over flights through Pakistani airspace for VVIP air India One aircraft that carried Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Saudi Arabia. But now Pakistan faced with a need for travelling to Sri Lanka approached India with a request to allow Imran Khan to overfly Indian airspace. Just think of the similar situation for Pakistan as India was in. This can be taken as a sweet revenge by India brought in by time. But India is not avenging this for their rude and crude action. However, Pakistan must not forget the fact that for everything there is a destined path and for the journey of Imran Khan to Sri Lanka, it must be overflown Indian air space. It must be interesting to learn that ahead of Imran Khan’s visit, Sri Lankan government cancelled Khan’s planned speech to Sri Lankan Parliament citing the Covid-19 pandemic. It may be recalled that at the Pakistan government’s request, the Parliament speech was included in Khan’s itinerary. But it is learnt that Sri Lankan government is reported to have removed this speech due to reasons unknown. Perhaps, this was taken so as not to further damage ties with India as already relations between India and Sri Lanka strained due to the cancellation of a deal over the East Container Terminal in Colombo port. It is pertinent to that Sri Lanka drifted away from the Colombo Port Agreement in which India, Japan and Sri Lanka are made parties. Confirming this, Sri Lankan cabinet decided that the East Terminal of Colombo Port would be 100 per cent owned and operated by the stateowned Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA). Consequently, India was quick to respond and so it told Colombo to honour Colombo Port Agreement. In 2019, Sri Lanka wanted to develop the East Container Terminal (ECT) of Colombo port under a trilateral agreement by the governments of India, Japan and Sri Lanka. This unexpected back out marked the latest twist in the project as the Sri Lankan government surely succumbed to pressure from labour unions, which opposed to a joint venture with Indian and Japanese investors having a 49% stake in the ECT.However, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya stood by the agreement with India initially in spite of a strong opposition from Colombo port trade unions during their talks. But the pressure was brewing as if he was becoming so unpopular among the people. Later, Gotabaya too had to surrender. Back to the issue of granting permission to overfly Indian airspace for the aircraft carrying Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan en route to Sri Lanka, it is to be remembered that India granted permission out of our ethical view points and in this respect, Pakistan must cultivate good international maryadaby themselves towards other countries especially towards India. Pakistan must always remember the wise saying ‘respect begets respect.’