NITN | @notintownlive | 11 May 2025, 01:16 pm
Travel Agencies
A glimpse of Turkey's capital Istanbul. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
Several major travel agencies have announced their decision to suspend all packages to Turkey and Azerbaijan after they came out in support of Pakistan in the ongoing conflict with India.
EaseMyTrip made the announcement and wrote on X: "Following the Pahalgam attack and escalating tensions between India & Pakistan, travellers are urged to stay aware."
"As Turkey & Azerbaijan have shown support for Pakistan, we strongly recommend visiting only if absolutely necessary.Stay informed. Travel responsibly," the post said.
Aligning with the sentiment of Indian customers in the current scenario, Cox & Kings' director Karan Agarwal told Hindustan Times: "In light of recent developments, we have decided to pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country.”
"We also advise Indian travellers to exercise discretion and avoid any non-essential travel to these destinations until there is greater clarity and alignment in the broader geopolitical environment," he said.
Azerbaijan, Turkey showed support to Pakistan
After India launched Operation Sindoor and struck nine terror launch pads in Pakistan and PoK in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, Azerbaijan issued a statement, supporting Islamabad.
The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, " We condemn military attacks against the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that killed and injured several civilians. Being in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, we express condolences to the families of the innocent victims and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured."
Similarly, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement where it described India's operation launch as 'provocative steps'.
"The attack carried out by India last night (6 May) raises the risk of an all-out war," the statement said.
India also said it found that Pakistan used Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones during the recent conflict against India.
Ceasefire
India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire effective 5 pm on Saturday after four days of intense military exchanges following Operation Sindoor, which was undertaken to strike terror bases in Pakistan and PoK in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
However, hours after the deal, Pakistan, later in the night, violated the agreement along the LoC at multiple locations.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said late Saturday night that within hours of the ceasefire declaration, Pakistan violated the agreement, prompting India to demand that Islamabad act responsibly and rein in the breaches.
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