After a suspenseful wait lasting hours, the Indian Air Forcepilot Abhinandan Varthaman finally returned home from captivity in PakistanFriday, a major step towards defusing a near-war situation triggered by India’sretaliation over Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism, officials said.
Hoping to give a hero’s welcome to wing commander Varthaman,thousands of Indians gathered on the border carrying the tri-colour andgarlands since morning. But as the day wore on and night fell there was no signof the pilot, who was captured on February 27 by Pakistan following a dogfightbetween the two air forces in which his MIG-21 was shot down.
He finally emerged at 9.10pm India time at the Wagahcheckpost on the Pakistani side, accompanied by Pakistani rangers, the Indianair attache posted in the high commission in Islamabad. He was wearing civilianclothes—a dark jacket and khakhi trousers, walking proudly toward the gatesthat separated his captors’ country from his homeland.
“Wing commander Abhinandan has just been handed over to us.He will be taken now for a detailed medical checkup. This check up is mandatoryas he had to eject from an airplane which would have put his entire body understress,” Vice Chief Marshal R G K Kapoor told reporters in a brief statement inAttari, near Amritstar, on the other side of Wagah.
Addressing a public rally in Tamil Nadu, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi said, “every Indian is proud of brave pilot Abhinandan.”
Several political leaders, including Congress chief RahulGandhi and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee welcome the IAF hero backhome.
On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told aspecial joint sitting of Parliament that his government was releasing the pilotas a “peace gesture”. However, India has been maintaining that Pakistanidecision is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.
After the pilot’s release, the Pakistan Foreign Officedescribed him as a Prisoner of War.
In a statement issued minutes after the pilot crossed overto India from the Wagah-Attari border, the FO said, “While in captivity,he was treated with dignity and in line with international law.”
“The captured Indian Air Force Wing CommanderAbhinandan Varthaman has been returned to India today,” it said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Pakistan’soffer to release Varthaman.
His spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters: “Thereport of the release of the Indian pilot by the Pakistani authorities would bevery much a welcome step. We would encourage both parties to do whatever theycan to de-escalate the situation.”
The United States also welcomed Pakistan’s decision torelease the captured Indian Air Force pilot, wing commander AbhinandanVarthaman.
“We welcome Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitmentthat Pakistan will release on Friday the Indian pilot held in its custody,” astate department spokesperson told PTI responding to a question on theannouncement made by Khan in the Pakistani parliament Thursday.
House majority leader Steny Hoyer on Thursday joined otherlawmakers in expressing concern over the escalating tension between India andPakistan.