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Pakistan has said the denial of airspace clearance to a Bangladesh-bound aircraft carrying uranium from Russia for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was due to technical and procedural issues, rather than a political decision.
In a statement issued by the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka on Tuesday, Islamabad said all requests for diplomatic flights and airspace access are reviewed in accordance with its existing regulations, civil aviation protocols and established procedures.
The high commission said reports concerning the transportation of nuclear fuel for Rooppur were primarily related to technical and procedural arrangements involving the flight route and airspace clearance.
Such matters may require coordination among aviation and other relevant authorities, it said, adding that this could sometimes result in changes to flight schedules.
Pakistan stressed that its relationship with Bangladesh is highly important and urged that the matter be viewed in its proper technical context. It also cautioned against giving undue importance to reports or narratives that could affect bilateral relations.
Earlier, Bangladesh Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam said the aircraft carrying fuel for the Rooppur plant was scheduled to arrive in Bangladesh on September 24 but could not do so on time because it had not received permission to use Pakistani airspace.
Officials involved in the Rooppur project said the flight normally requires the use of airspace of several countries. The flight was suspended after Pakistan’s clearance was not obtained.
Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom later said uranium deliveries would resume from October, with shipments planned to be completed by the end of the year.