PM embraced as ‘real statesman’ after decision to release Indian pilot

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–Held Kashmir leaders praise PM Imran Khan, ask Indian govt to reciprocate peace gesture

Politicians, journalists and academics at both sides of the border have embraced Prime Minister Imran Khan as “true statesman” after his government decided on Thursday to free a captured Indian pilot whose fighter jet was shot down by Pakistan a day earlier.

Wing Commander Abhinandan was taken into custody on Wednesday after his MIG-21 was shot down by Pakistan Air Force for intruding into Pakistani air space on the Line of Control (LoC).

Prime Minister Imran Khan announced in Parliament on Thursday that the pilot will be released as “a peace gesture, ” a step that is likely to help defuse the confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours over the Kashmir issue.

Mainstream political parties in India-held Kashmir have embraced PM Imran Khan’s announcement that Wing Commander Abhinandan will be released.

“The decision to hand over Wing Commander Abhinandan is a great gesture & shouldn’t 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,” PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wrote on her Twitter handle.

The former chief minister of held Kashmir said Pakistan’s prime minister exhibited “real statesmanship”.

“It is time for our political leadership to step up & take measures to de-escalate the current situation … How much longer will we suffer for?” she added.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also expressed happiness over the development.

“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,” he said.

Indian civil servant-turned-politician Shah Faesal also lauded Pakistan government’s decision to release the pilot. “Welcome home WC Abhinandan. And with this one gesture @ImranKhanPTI has proven himself to be a statesman,” Faesal said.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone said, “Pakistan PM Imran Khan move to release Abhinandan is a welcome move. Conflicts per se are not irresolvable. Leadership makes a conflict resolvable or irresolvable.”

Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tweeted, “Welcome decision by Pakistan PM @ImranKhanPTI to release the captive Indian pilot as a peace gesture. Hope better sense prevails the war clouds scatter and the #Kashmir dispute moves towards a peaceful resolution.”

Indian Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu termed the act “noble” and said that the goodwill gesture “is a cup of joy for a billion people” of India.

“Every noble act makes a way for itself … your goodwill gesture is ‘a cup of joy’ for a billion people, a nation rejoices … I am overjoyed for his parents and loved ones,” he tweeted soon after news of the decision broke out.

Indian news outlet, Asia News International (ANI) quoted Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh as saying: “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.”

Indian photojournalist Smita Sharma expressed her relief at news of the Indian pilot’s return and thanked the premier.

“Amid all the surround sound and claims of victory by chest thumping scribes, just so relieved to hear that #AbhinandanVartaman will be back home tomorrow. Thank you @ImranKhanPTI,” Sharma wrote.

Indian defence analyst and former army colonel Ajai Shukla was all praise for the way Pakistan handled the conflict on the “perception” front, terming Islamabad the comprehensive victor in this regard.

“MoD briefing, to announce release of Wing Comdr Abhinandan, has been pre-empted by Imran Khan, who announced it earlier. Now MoD briefing “postponed”. Whatever happens in real battle, Pakistan has comprehensively won the perception war. At every stage, their PR was ahead of ours,” he tweeted in commendation.

Indian novelist Krishan Partap Singh went so far as to say that the prime minister had outplayed his Indian counterpart.

“Never seen a Pakistani PM so outplay an Indian PM so completely,” he wrote.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari lauded the “amazing statesmanship” demonstrated by the prime minister who she said does not need “jingoistic slogans”.

“PM IK once again shows his amazing state[s]manship & confidence in Pak nation & state & announces release of Indian POW. This is the confidence of a [leader] who believes in his nation’s strength & does not need jingoistic slogans. Let world know Pak is a peace loving confident nation,” the minister said.

Singer and activist Fakhre Alam said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government has “scored massive wins” over the last 48 hours and expressed gratitude that the country finally has a government “devoid of personal interests and selfish goals”.

“PM @ImranKhanPTI government has scored massive wins in military, politics, diplomacy, morality and statesmanship in the last 48 hours. What a huge paradigm change. Finally a government devoid of personal interests & selfish goals. Pakistan UP on all fronts in this misadventure,” he tweeted.

Advocate Waqqas Mir hailed the “fantastic step” taken by the premier and asked the Indian leadership to “stop the war hysteria now”, adding that he is glad the pilot will be reunited with his family.

“Fantastic step: Pakistan PM Imran Khan announcing before Parliament that Wing Commander #Abhinandan will be released tomorrow. Modi must stop the war hysteria now. Glad to see that a solider will be reunited with his family. We can all have tea without war. #Pakistan #India,” tweeted the lawyer.

Journalist Owais Tohid also appreciated the “great gesture for peace” shown by Pakistan to announce the pilot’s release and the messages of peace sent to India repeatedly.

“Great Gesture For Peace by Pakistan …Indian pilot #AbhiNandan to be released tomorrow.. Delighted to see the way PM @ImranKhanPTI trying to handle the dispute by repeatedly sending peace messages to India,” said Tohid.

Senior journalist and analyst Mazhar Abbas termed the decision as the premier’s “biggest goodwill gesture”.

“Pakistan decided to release Indian pilot. PM Imran Khan[‘s] biggest goodwill gesture. Well done IK,” he said.

Senior columnist and analyst Zahid Hussain also praised the “great peace gesture” shown by the prime minister in announcing the pilot’s release and said that he had made the nation proud.

“Great peace gesture by Prime minister Imran Khan for ordering release of the captured Indian pilot. He made us proud.”

Fatima Bhutto, an author and niece of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, termed the decision a “bold and humane move”.

“I am so uplifted by the compassionate and mature Pakistani response today and over the past few days. I have long been a critic but today the government’s move can only be commended by anyone, Indian or Pakistani, who is a true believer in peace,” she said in a second tweet.

INDO-PAK TENSIONS:

Tensions between Pakistan and India escalated dramatically on February 14 when a young Kashmiri rammed an explosives-laden car into an Indian paramilitary convoy, killing at least 44 soldiers. India was quick to blame Pakistan for the suicide bombing.

PM Imran offered every possible help in the investigation, but India turned down the offer and whipped up war hysteria.

On February 26, the Indian Air Force violated Pakistani airspace. The country’s top civil and military leadership declared the violation of airspace by Indian fighter jets “uncalled for aggression” and decided that the country would respond at a “time and place of its choosing”.

On February 27, Pakistan announced it had shot down two Indian fighter jets that attempted to violate its airspace and captured an Indian pilot. The military’s media wing later released a video of the pilot, who introduced himself as Wing Commander Abhinandan bearing service number 27981.

Pakistani military’s spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a press conference that the armed forces had responsibly retaliated to Indian incursion by striking a target few miles from an Indian military’s administrative unit to ensure there were no human life or collateral damage.

“We decided to not hit a military target or endanger human life. We did not want to retaliate at the cost of regional peace. We do not want escalation,” he told reporters.

A few hours later, Prime Minister Imran Khan took the nation into confidence over the armed forces’ response. As escalating tensions fuelled concerns of all-out war between nuclear-tipped Pakistan, Imran warned of catastrophic consequences should “better sense” not prevail.

The premier ended his speech with another peace talks offer and cooperation in Pulwama attack investigation to India.

A day earlier, the top political leadership of the country was given an in-camera briefing at the Parliament House.

Opposition parties expressed satisfaction over the briefing mainly conducted by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor.

An official handout issued by the National Assembly Secretariat said: “The forum unanimously expressed that they stand united against any aggression against Pakistan and will support the government and its institutions unconditionally.”

It said the participants also “expressed hope that those who want peace and stability will prevail as war is not an option but a failure of policy”.

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