The Indian government has allowed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s aircraft to use its airspace for his upcoming travel to Sri Lanka, sources have said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Khan will arrive in Sri Lanka on February 22 on a two-day official state visit.

In 2019, Pakistan had denied permission to Prime Minister Modi’s aircraft to use the Pakistani airspace for his visit to the US in September and Saudi Arabia in October.

On denial of overflight clearance for a VVIP special flight by Pakistan, the MEA had said Pakistan was deviating from well-established international practice.

India had also taken up the denial of permission to VVIP flight with the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

Sri Lanka had earlier reportedly cancelled Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s planned address to its Parliament during his visit to Colombo.

Imran Khan, who will be the first head of state to visit the country since the Covid-19 pandemic, is scheduled to hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena during the visit.

It is said that the speech to Parliament had been included in Khan’s itinerary at the Pakistan government's request. However, it was later cancelled and Sri Lankan media gave various reasons for the cancellation of Khan’s address, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported on Thursday.