Modi ignores Imran Khan at SCO summit, snubs him by avoiding Pakistan airspace

Date :14-Jun-2019

Bishkek:

In tune with national mood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit and chose not to exchange pleasantries with him. Even while flying to Bishkek, Modi did not use Pakistani airspace though Islamabad had indicated that it would allow the Indian leader to fly over Pakistan, an act that is being taken as a snub to Imran Khan.

At the SCO summit, there was no meeting between Narendra Modi and Imran Khan during the informal dinner hosted by Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov for the SCO leaders here, sources said on Thursday. While Khan is attending the SCO summit for the first time after assuming office last year, this is Modi’s first visit to a multilateral forum after being re-elected for a second term. India had already clarified that there would be no bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

This comes despite the Pakistan Prime Minister writing a letter to Modi, saying Islamabad wants dialogue with New Delhi to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries. Moreover, Modi’s chartered plane did not take the Pakistani air space for flying to Bishkek and instead flew via the circuitous route through Oman and Iran.