E-Paper
Resumption of flights with Afghanistan complicated issue, says MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said there were various factors that would have to be taken into account with taking a decision on the issue and at the moment, he had no update on the same.
Ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday resumption of flights to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan was a complicated and sensitive issue.
He said there were various factors that would have to be taken into account with taking a decision on the issue and at the moment, he had no update on the same.
“I don't have any update on the resumption of the flights. It is a complicated and sensitive issue. There are various factors that need to be taken into account,” Bagchi was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Also read | Kabul airport ready for international flights: Afghanistan civil aviation body
The MEA spokesperson’s comments came days after the civil aviation department of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, as the war-torn country is officially called by the Islamic militant group, wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) urging resumption of commercial flight operations to Kabul.
ANI had earlier quoted a government source as saying the decision to resume commercial flights to Kabul was being jointly reviewed by the DGCA and MEA.
On October 4, Afghanistan's civil aviation authority said Kabul airport was completely operational, domestic flights had started at the airport and the facility was ready for international flights to resume normal activity.
According to local news agency ToloNews, a spokesperson for the country's civil aviation body said the department had written to neighbouring countries and the international community urging them to resume flights at the airport.
"Technically, there is no problem ahead of international flights. We are looking to find answers from neighbouring countries about whether they will start flights to Kabul airport or not. Currently, domestic flights are continuing," the agency quoted spokesperson Mohammad Naeem Salehi as saying.
