The Indian Government has given permission to Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s aircraft to fly over Indian airspace to go to Sri Lanka for a visit according to a report from ANI.
He is scheduled to travel on 23rd February for a two-day visit to Sri Lanka. He plans to meet Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during the trip. The Pakistan PM was also scheduled to speak at the Sri Lankan Parliament on 24th February, but that has been cancelled. According to reports it was cancelled because Sri Lanka believed the speech could harm ties with India. Sri Lanka recently received 5 lakh Covishield vaccines from India.
Sri Lanka also fears that Imran Khan might bring up the rights of Muslims in Sri Lanka in his speech. Sri Lanka had made it mandatory to cremate the Muslims dying from COVID-19 but then changed their decision after international uproar.