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Musharraf to avoid Indian airspace
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, DEC. 31. The Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has decided not to avail himself of India's offer to let his aircraft use the Indian airspace to reach Kathmandu for the SAARC summit scheduled for January 4 to 6 and is expected to fly over China.
The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Mr. Aziz Ahmed Khan, who confirmed the Pakistan Government's decision not to use the Indian airspace said the route to be taken by Gen. Musharraf to reach Kathmandu was yet to be determined. New Delhi had said last week that it would positively respond to any Pakistan request to let Gen. Musharraf's plane use the Indian airspace.
The Musharraf Government's decision to skip the Indian skies has come as a surprise to political and diplomatic observers here. It is particularly so after the media reports suggested that the Pakistan High Commission had made a specific request to India to allow Gen. Musharraf's aircraft to fly over the Indian airspace.
One interpretation is that it is an indication of hardening of the stance of Pakistan which does not want to be seen as asking for a ``favour'' from New Delhi at a juncture when the anti-Pakistan rhetoric is at its peak.
The other interpretation in the diplomatic circles is that Gen. Musharraf would like to use the opportunity to stop over in Beijing for consultations with the Chinese leadership on the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Pakistan Urdu daily, Jang, reported that Gen. Musharraf would visit Beijing on January 3 on a ``special invitation'' from the Chinese leadership for a highly important discussion.
The paper said a special Chinese plane would take Gen. Musharraf to Kathmandu under the security cover of the Chinese air force.
Sattar meets deadline, flies to Nepal via India
PTI reports from Kathmandu:
Meeting the deadline for the imposition of ban on Pakistani aircraft flying through the Indian airspace, the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, arrived here today, at least two days ahead of the SAARC ministerial meeting.
Mr. Sattar reached here by the last Pakistan International Airlines flight, which for the last time availed of the facility to overfly the Indian territory.
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