The Hindu : No need, says India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 20, 2002

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No need, says India

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi June 19. The Ministry of Civil Aviation today said the Government's decision to lift the ban on overflight by Pakistani carriers need not be followed with a `notem' (Notice to Air Men) as none was issued in the first place.

"No Pakistan carrier has sought permission or submitted any flight plan to overfly India since the ban was lifted unilaterally on June 10. When they do, the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will process it as is the normal procedure,'' the Minister for Civil Aviation, Shahnawaz Hussain, told The Hindu here today.

Mr. Hussain was reacting to Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority's claim that it had not received anything in writing from the Indian Government on the subject. He said no notice or notification was issued by the Ministry or the DGCA when the ban was announced. As such, there was no "notem" to be withdrawn.

"We've lifted the ban. If the Pakistan airline wants to use our airspace and apply with the DGCA, we've no problem,'' Mr. Hussain said. Highly-placed sources said raising the issue of a "notem" was disinformation. It seems that the Pakistan Government was unwilling to use the overflight facility as it may be unwilling to reciprocate, even though India's decision was not conditional on reciprocity. It was a unilateral decision.

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