Dawn.com :
A joint session of Parliament was held on Thursday to discuss rising tension with India in the wake of the Pulwama attack and subsequent airstrikes by both countries.
“The only purpose of our strike was to demonstrate our capability and will,” said Prime Minister Imran Khan while addressing the House. “We did not want to inflict any casualty on India as we wanted to act in a responsible manner.”
PM Khan said he tried to call Indian PM Narendra Modi on the phone yesterday because “escalation is not in our interests nor in India’s”. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday – a day after India violated the Line of Control (LoC) – undertook strikes across the LoC from Pakistani airspace. Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace, with one aircraft falling inside Azad Jammu and Kashmir. One Indian pilot was arrested by troops on ground, the Army’s media wing had said.
The premier, before Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif started his address, announced that the Indian pilot will be released tomorrow [Friday] as a peace gesture.”In our desire for peace, I announce that tomorrow, and as a first step to open negotiations, Pakistan will be releasing the Indian Air Force officer in our custody,” PM Khan said.
