Even juveniles are less petulant than Pakistan. By not allowing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special flight to overfly Pakistan on its way to the US to attend the United Nations General Assembly later this week, Islamabad has revealed that it yet to grow up. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that Islamabad had declined to accept a request from the Indian side to seek permission to cross Pakistani airspace. In a video released by his foreign ministry, Qureshi cited the situation in Kashmir to deny permission. If India were to follow a similar delinquent course, it can appeal to the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) against Pakistan’s decision, which goes against the international norm. ICAO clearly states that only countries at declared war will not allow their airspace to be used by the enemy country. Technically, India is well within its right to appeal in the matter, if it chooses to. Neither is this the first instance. 

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Earlier this month, permission had been denied to President Ram Nath Kovind’s special flight to overfly Pakistan and in June, PM Modi’s special flight was accorded similar treatment. Those decisions, too, were seen in the context of Pakistan’s effort to step up the rhetoric and draw international attention to J&K. Pakistan needs to reflect upon its decision to deviate from well established international practice; there are no known instances of a country committed to the rule of law, which indulges in such gimmicks and misrepresents their case. Unlike a scheduled flight, which has an earmarked route, a special flight requires permissions from all countries over which the aircraft might fly to reach its destination. To ensure that there are no last-minute problems, such permissions are taken in advance. A standard operating procedure (SOP) is being politicised.