New Delhi: Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik’s India visit landed in trouble even before he left Islamabad on Friday. Malik, who was originally scheduled to land at 2 pm, landed only at 6 pm.
The Pakistani minister’s decision to fly in a military aircraft instead of a civilian aircraft was apparently the cause of the confusion and delay.
Top home ministry officials said Pakistan had earlier informed India he would be travelling by a “special aircraft” which the authorities cleared for landing at the Palam Technical Area of Delhi airport.
But late on Thursday night the Indian government was informed that Malik would be arriving by a Pakistan Air Force plane. This threw the Indian security establishment into a tizzy.
Home ministry officials said Malik’s flight got security clearance from the Indian Air Force after the requisite procedures were completed by the Pakistani side following its change of plans.
IAF sources denied any procedural delay in giving clearance.
15/12/12 Namrata Biji Ahuja and Sridhar Kumaraswami/Deccan Chronicle
