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What Protocols India Has to Follow After Abhinandan’s Return
As an Air warrior, Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman served the nation by defending it with total disregard to his personal safety.
— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) February 27, 2019
As a nation we pray for his continuous well being and early return.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal has said that the IAF Wing Commander is “safe and healthy”, reported Dawn.
“India has raised the matter of the pilot with us. We'll decide in a couple of days what convention will apply to him and whether to give him Prisoner of War status or not,” Faisal added.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Pakistan is “willing” to return IAF Pilot if it leads to de-escalation between the two countries.
Speaking to Geo News, Qureshi further said , “Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to hold a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
Indian government sources cited by news agencies have said that India expects the IAF pilot to be repatriated unconditionally and immediately" with there being no question of any deal.
Pakistan will release Indian Pilot Abhinandan tomorrow as a gesture of peace: Prime Minister Imran Khan pic.twitter.com/6aUN4S9JVb
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 28, 2019
🇮🇳💪😇...Indian IAF Fighter Pilot #Abhinandan held captive comes back home tom. 🙏 for India’s firm stand and international glare.
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) February 28, 2019
Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh expressed happiness over the news of IAF pilot Abhinandan’s release from Pakistan.
“I'm very happy, I had demanded his release earlier too. This is going to be a step towards goodwill and I hope this will be lasting,” he said.
The decision to hand over Wing Commander Abhinandan is a great gesture & shouldnt be seen in isolation. It also comes at a time when Pak could’ve chosen to further escalate an already tensed situation. I see it as a mark of reconciliation . Our leadership should reciprocate. https://t.co/i2RZINyIbk
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 28, 2019
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s husband Robert Vadra said that this was the best news for the pilot’s family and the citizens of India.
"It is the best news for his family and every citizen of India," he said.
Very glad to know that #WingCommandarAbhinandan will be heading home. I’ll wait for him to be back on Indian soil before I welcome him back but I’m greatly relieved that PM @ImranKhanPTI has announced the imminent release of our pilot.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 28, 2019
Pilot Abhinandan Varthaman’s parents have left from their Chennai residence and are heading to Delhi.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that a notice was sent to Youtube to take down videos of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman uploaded by Pakistan.
“We had received complaints, yesterday an unfortunate instance had come up where humiliating videos of the Wing Commander (Abhinandan) had been uploaded on YouTube from Pakistan’s side. We had sent a notice to YouTube and complying with the same they took down 11 such videos,” he said.
Dear @narendramodi ji , I’m touring the border areas of Punjab & I’m presently in Amritsar. Came to know that @pid_gov has decided to release #AbhinandanVartaman from Wagha. It will be a honour for me to go and receive him, as he and his father are alumnus of the NDA as I am.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) February 28, 2019
A delegation of IAF team will on Friday, 1 March receive Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, captured by Pakistan during an aerial combat, at the Wagah border, official sources said.
It is not clear whether Varthaman will be handed over to the International Red Cross or to the Indian authorities by Pakistan.
The United States on Thursday, 28 February, welcomed Pakistan's decision to release captured IAF pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was in their custody.
“We welcome Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's commitment that Pakistan will release on Friday the Indian pilot held in its custody,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI while responding to a question on the announcement made by Khan in the Pakistani parliament.
Simultaneously, the US has urged both India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions.
Visuals from the Attari-Wagah border. Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman will be released by Pakistan today. pic.twitter.com/6x30IQpqbB
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019
IAF Pilot Abhinandan’s Family Receive Impromptu Standing Ovation
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman is likely to cross the Wagah border in the afternoon between 12 pm and 2 pm, media reports said on Friday, 1 March.
“The track record of our government has been best in dealing with terror since Independence... Maximum number of terrorists have been eliminated under the BJP government led by Modi”Amit Shah, as quoted by PTI
The India High Commission in Pakistan has reportedly processed the documents needed for the release of the IAF pilot. The documents have now been given to Pakistan.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi confirmed that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman would be released on Friday afternoon via the Wagah border.
#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan .....#JaiHind pic.twitter.com/9RPx2B5rd6
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) March 1, 2019
Speaking on the imminent return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, Deputy Commissioner for Amritsar Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon said, "Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will cross the border today, can't tell you the exact time since there are certain formalities. A senior Indian Air Force team from Delhi is here, they will be the ones to receive him."
IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman has been handed over to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Pakistan Foreign Office sources cited by Dawn said the country has conveyed to the Indian authorities of its decision to release the IAF pilot around 3 pm.
A Pakistani citizen on Friday, 1 March, had filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court to stop the release of captured IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, saying he had committed crime against the country and should be put on trial in Pakistan.
However, according to reports, the petition was dismissed by the court as it said that it cannot interfere in foreign policy matters.
The petition in the Islamabad HC sought the court's order to stop Prime Minister Imran Khan's government from handing over the Indian Air Force pilot.
The petitioner said the Indian pilot had violated the airspace of Pakistan to bomb the country and, therefore, he had committed crime against Pakistan and should face trial in the country.
Hours after Pakistan had announced its decision to release IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, India had conveyed to Islamabad that it wants him to be sent back via aerial route and not through the Wagah land border, official sources cited by PTI said.
However, late in the night, Pakistan communicated to India that he will be returned through the Attari-Wagah border.
The Indian defence establishment was also mulling over sending a special aircraft to Pakistan to bring back Varthaman.
Returning #WingCommanderAbhinandan is a welcome move, however, it is the first of many steps that #Pakistan must take to reinforce their commitment to peace. We need an affirmative & verifiable action by Pakistan against terrorism.
— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 1, 2019
The daily Retreat ceremony held at the Attari-Wagah border front along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab has been "cancelled" for Friday, the BSF said.
A senior official of the force said the martial ceremony has been called off due to administrative requirements in the wake of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's release post noon at this frontier.
The public will not be allowed in the ceremony area that is located in the Attari of Punjab along the Indo-Pak border, the BSF official said.
”(I) would love to go (to receive Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman but there’s a laid out protocol whenever anybody comes back, like (what) happened to Prisoners of war in 1965 and 1971. They had to first go for medical and then be debriefed. I think same process will be followed here.”Punjab CM Amarinder Singh
Pakistan has turned down a request by India to send back Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman by aerial route and not through the Attari-Wagah land border, official sources said Friday.
They said hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the decision to release Varthaman, India conveyed to Islamabad that he be sent back via the aerial route.
However, late in the night, Pakistan conveyed to India that the pilot will be returned through the Attari-Wagah border and India's request could not be heeded to, the sources said.
Varthaman was captured by Pakistan after his Mig-21 Bison was shot down by a Pakistani jet during a fierce dogfight on Wednesday.
Wing Commander Abhinandan, who was captured by Pakistan in an aerial combat, is set arrive in India via Wagah border shortly.
IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan after an aerial combat, reportedly arrived in India via the Wagah border on Friday, 1 March.
IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan after an aerial combat, arrived in India via the Attari-Wagah border on Friday, 1 March. He was received by a team of the Indian Air Force.
He was accompanied by IAF Group Captain Joy Thomas Kurien and Defence Attache to Indian High Commission in Pakistan.
Pakistan had changed the time of handover twice, sources told ANI.
"We are happy to have him back," said a top IAF officer Friday night shortly after the captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was handed over to Indian authorities by Pakistan at the border point here.
Reading out a brief statement, Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor, assistant chief of Air Staff, told a posse of reporters that the pilot will be taken for a detailed medical examination as he was subjected to lot of stress during his nearly three-day captivity.
The Air Vice Marshal did not take any questions from the media.
🇮🇳 Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, your dignity, poise and bravery made us all proud. Welcome back and much love. 🇮🇳
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 1, 2019
Proud of you Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman. The entire nation appreciates your valour and grit. You held your calm in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to our youth. Salute. Vande Mataram.
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 1, 2019
Welcome Home Wing Commander Abhinandan!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 1, 2019
The nation is proud of your exemplary courage.
Our armed forces are an inspiration for 130 crore Indians.
Vande Mataram!
Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman landed in Delhi on Friday, 1 March night, hours after he was handed over to India by Pakistan after being in captivity for nearly three days.
A group of people gave a rousing welcome to him at the Palam airport, from where he would be taken to a medical facility for examination.
He was handed over to Indian authorities at Attari-Wagah border Friday evening.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was present in Lahore to oversee the 'smooth' handing over captured Indian Air Force pilot to India at the Wagah border on Friday, 1 March, official sources told PTI.
Khan arrived in Lahore on Friday afternoon, a couple of hours before IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was brought to the Wagah border from Islamabad, amid high security.
"PM Khan's main purpose of being in the town was to oversee the 'smooth' handing over of the captured Indian pilot to the Border Security Force," an official source told PTI.
He said during his stay Khan held a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, who praised the premier for ordering the release of the Indian pilot.
They said this gesture would establish that Pakistan was a peace loving country and wanted peace with its neighbouring countries especially India.
Buzdar said, "This move will help de-escalte tensions between India and Pakistan." "The prime minister stayed in the city till the time the Indian pilot was handed over to his country. Later, he left for Islamabad," the source added.
Pakistan Foreign Office, in a statement issued after handing over of the Indian pilot to India said: "Prime Minister Imran Khan who announced his (Varthaman's) return as a 'goodwill gesture' aimed at de-escalating rising tensions with India."
Pakistan's Foreign Office on Friday announced the returning of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to India but described him as a "prisoner of war" (POW).
In a statement issued minutes after the pilot crossed over to 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 Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been returned to India today," it said.
The statement described the pilot as an "India POW".
"It is good to be back in my country," was the first reaction of IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he set foot on Indian soil.
This was stated by an official quoting Varthaman after he received the pilot at the Attari-Wagah border.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan and asked both the countries to keep up the "positive momentum".
A statement issued by his spokesperson's office shortly after Varthaman returned to India read: "We welcome the news of the Pakistani authorities releasing the captive Indian pilot today. The Secretary-General calls on both parties to sustain this positive momentum and engage in further constructive dialogue".
Guterres also reiterated his offer to facilitate a dialogue should both countries agree.
Wing Commander Abhinandan, who was handed over to India by Pakistani officials on Friday, will undergo a physical as well as a psychological test today. According to reports, the tests will help ascertain whether or not the pilot had sustained injuries after having ejected from the MiG-21 via a parachute.
“Hindustan jo bhi karega, duniya use gaur se dekhti hai. Is desh ki takat hai ki dictionary ke shabdon ke arth badal deta hai. Kabhi ‘#Abhinandan’ ka angrezi hota tha ‘Congratulation’, ab ‘Abhinandan’ ka arth badal jaayega.”
Quoting IAF officials, news agency ANI reported that IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman met with IAF Chief BS Dhanoa on Saturday morning and explained his detention in Pakistan. The IAF pilot will be put up at the Air Force Mess, the report added.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthman in a hospital today.
Exemplary bravery and commitment to the nation displayed by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman is a source of inspiration for the youth, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday.
The safe return of the brave pilot is a matter of happiness and relief for the country, he said on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi.
"The safe return of our brave Wing Commander is a matter of much happiness and relief for India. The exemplary bravery and commitment to the nation shown by him will inspire our youth," Gadkari said.
Extending his best wishes to Varthaman, Gadkari said what else could bring more happiness than his safe return with full pride.
Quoting sources who spoke to Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman after his return from Pakistan, ANI reported that although the IAF pilot wasn’t physically tortured by the Pakistanis; he was made to go through a lot of mental harassment.
Upon ejecting from his crashed MiG 21 Bison, IAF wing Commander Abhinanandan Varthaman had his pistol, a survival kit, maps and some confidential documents that he managed to destroy.
The report also said that the “taking over certificate” referred to Abhinandan Varthaman as a prisoner of war, whereas India hasn’t referred to him as a prisoner of war.
In the MRI scan of the Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the doctors did not find any bugs, ANI reported quoting sources. The scan has also shown that there is an injury in his lower spine which could have happened due to his ejection from his MiG-21 after aerial engagement with an F-16.
A rib was also injured due to assault by Pakistani locals soon after he landed on ground in PoK after his plane was shot down. He will undergo more check ups and treatment at Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi Cantonment.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who became the face of the tense military confrontation between India and Pakistan, conveyed to the IAF brass that he wants to return to the cockpit as soon as possible, officials said on Sunday, 3 March.
For the last two days, the Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot has been undergoing medical treatment at a military hospital in New Delhi.
Varthaman told senior IAF commanders and doctors treating him that he wants to start flying at the earliest, the officials told PTI.
His health condition is being monitored by a group of doctors at the Army's Research and Referral hospital, the officials said.
"The efforts have been to ensure that he returns to the cockpit soon," said a military official.
The officials said Varthaman has been in high spirits despite the harassment he suffered in Pakistan.
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