Pakistan closes a corridor of its air space for India

Pakistan has once again closed a corridor in its airspace in a move that will result in an additional 12 minutes of flying time for overseas flights from India, a spokesman of state-owned Air India official said today.

The fresh Pakistani action came on a day when Pakistan expelled Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria and decided to suspend trade with India, sending bilateral tensions soaring once again. 

The flights from India will have to be diverted to other routes due to the closure, our New Delhi correspondent reports quoting the official.

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"One air corridor has been closed (in Pakistani airspace), requiring a maximum of 12 minutes diversion. It will not affect us (much)," said the Air India spokesperson.

Air India operates around 50 flights daily through Pakistani airspace and these are flights to the US, Europe and the Middle East.

Following the Indian Air Force strikes on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February, Islamabad had closed its airspace on February 26 and it was fully reopened on July 16.

The Indian government on Monday abolished Article 370 of the constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Article 370 granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and allowed it to have its own flag and Constitution, among other rights.