Pakistan on Friday released the captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from custody. The IAF pilot crossed over into India as hundreds gathered to welcome him at the Attari Joint Check Post (JCP) on Friday. Wagah-Attari border lies 30-km from Amritsar City in Punjab.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the same in (Pakistan’s) National Assembly on Thursday in order to de-escalate the tension between the two nuclear-armed rivals, adding that it was a peace initiative from his country.
A stand-off ensued between India and Pakistan on Wednesday following Pakistan Air Force’s failed attempt to breach the Indian air space in Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir. IAF jets successfully thwarted the attempt to breach the air space by scampering a MiG21 Bison and two other planes after the Pakistani intruder planes. But in the ensuing dogfight in the skies, India lost the MiG jet and the Pakistani forces took its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman into custody. But before his jet was downed, WC Abhinandan Varthaman had downed one of Pakistan’s F-16s that had been on a mission to target Indian military installations.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said PM Imran Khan is ready for a telephonic talk with Narendra Modi to offer him peace.
Pakistan on Wednesday released the pictures and videos of Varthaman, who appeared to have suffered injuries on his face. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haidar Shah and issued a strong demarche to the neighbouring country demanding the “immediate and safe return” of its pilot.
In a strongly-worded statement, the MEA said, “India also strongly objected to Pakistan’s vulgar display of injured
personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody. India also expects his immediate and safe return.”
Pakistan had initially claimed that it had two Indian pilots in its custody, with one arrested and another one undergoing treatment in a hospital. However, Pakistan Army’s spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor later clarified that only one pilot was under Pakistan Army’s custody.
Ties between India and Pakistan have been severely strained after the Pulwama attack on February 14, which was carried by an operative of Pakistan-based JeM, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. In response to the attack, 12 Mirage 2000 jets of the IAF crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and bombed a Jaish training camp in Balakot in Pakistan, killing over 300 terrorists.
However, in retaliation, Pakistani Air Force (PAF) jets tried to breach the Indian air space and target military establishments, but their plan was foiled by the Indian Air Force. During the operation, one PAF jet was also shot down by IAF’s MiG 21 Bison.
Meanwhile, the international community, including Russia, US, UK, France, and Iran, urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and de-escalate tensions at the border through peaceful talks.
