Barkha Dutt says Pakistan’s airspace denial was a threat after DG ISPR’s remarks

Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, known for previously making a false claim about a Pakistani pilot being captured in India, accused Pakistan of endangering the lives of passengers aboard an IndiGo aircraft by allegedly refusing the plane permission to enter Lahore’s airspace amid turbulent weather.

Speaking on her program, Dutt described Pakistan’s alleged refusal as “shocking” and claimed it was a calculated “signal” to India.

She linked the incident to a recent statement by Director General ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who responded strongly to India’s repeated threats of cutting off Pakistan’s water supply in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Referring to India’s aggressive rhetoric, including warnings of “starving Pakistanis without water,” DG ISPR had responded, “If you stop our water, we will stop your breath.”

Dutt claimed the Pakistani military’s statement provided the context for Islamabad’s alleged refusal to accommodate a humanitarian request from the IndiGo flight.

Read: India accuses Pakistan of denying airspace to IndiGo flight amid turbulence

Humanitarian values should have prevailed, she said, adding that the aircraft should have been granted entry into Pakistani airspace to avoid risk to the passengers.

She further accused Pakistan of hypocrisy, alleging that the country allowed commercial flights to pass through its airspace even during Indian military strikes on Pakistani soil.

However, she did not acknowledge that those Indian strikes were unprovoked and resulted in the deaths of Pakistani civilians, including children.

Dutt claimed that India’s moral standards were superior, suggesting that the Indian army refrained from attacking Pakistan when commercial air traffic was present.