Pakistan Will Release Abhinandan Today

• It is a peace gesture, says PM Imran Khan
• Adds that he doesn’t want escalation of tensions
• No talks till action on terror outfits, says India
• Says he tried to contact PM Modi on Wednesday

- Mehmal Sarfraz

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, now in Pakistan’s custody, would be released on Friday.

“As a peace gesture, we are releasing the captured Indian pilot tomorrow,” he told a joint session of Parliament.

On Wednesday night, there was a situation in which there could have been a missile strike from India, but it was defused, the Prime Minister said. “This is why I am saying to India not to take this any further. We will be left with no choice but to retaliate. Don’t do it,” he said.

Mr. Khan added that he had tried to contact his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening. “We also sent a message to him. This wasn’t due to any weakness. Our forces are battle-hardened but we don’t want escalation.”

On Thursday evening, the IAF said it was “extremely happy” to have Wing Cdr Varthaman back. “We want to see him back,” said Air Vice-Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor.

Asked whether the IAF saw the release as a goodwill gesture by Pakistan, he said: “We only see it as a gesture in consonance with all Geneva conventions.”