Abhinandan Homecoming: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman would be handed over through Wagah-Attari border, informed Pakistan to India, late Thursday night.
India wanted to bring back captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman from Pakistan by a special flight, but was denied permission. Pakistan has said the pilot, captured on Wednesday by its army after an air encounter, will be released through the Wagah border.
An elaborate flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah crossing between Indian and Pakistani soldiers, which draws thousands of spectators on both sides, has been cancelled.
Pakistan communicated to India late on Thursday night that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman would be handed over through the Wagah-Attari border, as per PTI.
There were two options for his return – by road through the Wagah crossing in Amritsar or on a flight from Islamabad. India do not want Abhinandan Varthaman to return from crowded Wagah where media is, too, present.
After the pilot’s release was announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday, India had asked for permission to send a special IAF aircraft to bring him back and had even handed over a list of officers who would accompany the pilot.
Sources say India wanted to bring him straight back to Delhi and give priority to medical check-up, given that the 35-year-old pilot was wounded during his capture and interrogated.
But Abhinandan Varthaman looked set to walk across in the presence of a huge crowd building since morning. People shouted slogans of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”, beat drums carrying Indian flags and sang patriotic songs, while some carried garlands in the hope of meeting the pilot. Two IAF teams also waited.
The pilot has attained hero status and hashtags like #WelcomeBackAbhi have been trending on social media for two days.
Stay tuned for more updates!
