NEW DELHI: Despite a complete halt in trade and travel between Pakistan and India, a fresh proposal by the Pakistan Hindu Council to allow Hindu, Muslim and Sikh pilgrims to travel by air has been sent by the Pakistan government, Indian media reported. reported on Tuesday.
According to sources, a proposal was sent to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi on behalf of the Chief Patron of Pakistan Hindu Parishad (PHC) Ramesh Vankwani, seeking two chartered flights of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). Flights to India's destinations from Lahore and Karachi to be allowed this Saturday to carry pilgrims.
The Ministry of External Affairs did not respond to inquiries about whether permission is likely to be granted in the next few days or at all. A senior Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official also said that "at present no request has been received from the airline." Officials also pointed to the fact that Pakistan denied overflight permission for Srinagar-Sharjah flights that began in November last year, and India allowed PIA flights to take Indian pilgrims to Pakistan in December. refused to give in, insisting that the proposal would require a political push. both sides. If approved, it will be the first PIA flight to visit India since operations were suspended in 2019.