Mahathir's plane not denied overflight clearance: India

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) India on Tuesday termed reports about denial of overflight to an aircraft carrying Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad during his visit to Islamabad as "false and motivated".Sources said Pakistan has blocked it's own airspace from flights which are overflying India. Therefore, even though the Directorate General Civil Aviation had given overflight clearance to Malaysian PM's flight, it had to take a longer route because Pakistan denied permission.They said it is strange that even for their National Day guest from Malaysia, Pakistan could not make an exception, thereby resulting in a longer flight for the Malaysian Prime Minister. The sources said that all flights, including international flights, flying westward from or over Pakistan are not being allowed to fly over India by Pakistan. India has not imposed any such restriction.Sections of Pakistani media have claimed that Malaysian Prime Minister's flight took longer to reach Pakistan as India did not give the requisite clearance.
--IANS bns-ps/vd