No decision yet on airspace closure to India: Pak Foreign Minister Qureshi
Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that no decision has been taken yet to close the airspace to India, underlining that any such step would be taken after looking into each and every aspect of the move through consultation.
Qureshi dismissed as speculative reports suggesting that the airspace was being shut for India, the Dawn reported.
Talking to reporters during a visit to the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Wednesday, he said the issue did come up for discussions during the recent federal cabinet meeting but the final decision in this regard would be taken by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
A decision to this effect will be taken after due consideration and looking into each and every aspect of the move through consultation, he was quoted as saying.
Qureshi's statement came after Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry took to the twitter on Tuesday and announced that the government was considering complete closure of airspace to India and complete ban on use of Pakistan land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan.
Pakistan had fully closed its airspace in February after an Indian Air Force strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot. The country opened its airspace for all flights except for New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on March 27.
On May 15, Pakistan extended its airspace ban for flights to India till May 30. It fully opened its airspace for all civilian traffic on July 16.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after India abrogated provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories.
Pakistan expelled the Indian High Commissioner after it downgraded the diplomatic ties with India in protest to India's decision to end Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
Pakistan also suspended its trade with India and stopped the train and bus services.
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M Chinnaswamy Stadium gets Karnataka govt nod for hosting IPL 2026 matches
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday gave formal approval to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA)and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to host the 2026 Indian Premier League matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, ending months of uncertainty following the stampede after the team's maiden title win.
The 19th edition of the world's biggest T20 league begins on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to face Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first match here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the tournament opener, as per the schedule.
The formal approval comes after a meeting chaired by Karnataka home minister Parameshwar with the Expert Committee, which was constituted by the state government, and representatives from the KSCA, RCB and their event management firm DNA.
"During the meeting, the Expert Committee presented its report outlining the preparedness and compliance measures undertaken at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium," KSCA's official spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya informed in a statement.
"Based on the recommendations of the Expert Committee and after reviewing the arrangements in detail, the Hon’ble Home Minister has formally accorded approval for the conduct of the upcoming IPL matches at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru."
"The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) places on record its sincere gratitude to the Hon’ble Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwar, for his leadership, guidance and support in facilitating this approval," he added.
Apart from the opening fixture of the upcoming season , the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is also slated to host the RCB Unboxing event as well as the tournament's opening ceremony.
RCB had earlier announced that it would play five of their seven home matches in Bengaluru, while two will be played at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium.
The KSCA also expressed its gratitude towards the members of the Expert Committee.
"Our special thanks are also due to Shri Sreemant Kumar Singh, Member Secretary of the Expert Committee and Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, for his proactive coordination and for ensuring that all safety, security and operational aspects were comprehensively evaluated,” the release said.
"KSCA further expresses its sincere appreciation to all the distinguished members of the Expert Committee and the officials associated with the Expert Committee and its sub-committees, whose careful assessment and constructive recommendations have been instrumental in enabling this important decision."
