India-Pakistan standoff: IAF wing commander Abhinandan to return home today

New Delhi : IAF pilot wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be returning home on Friday; Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced his release and termed it a 'peace gesture'. Indian Air Force, on the other hand, has termed it as a mandatory step taken by Pakistan under Geneva convention.

A delegation of Indian Air Force officials will receive him at the Wagah Border.

Indian Air Force wing commander Abhinandan was captured by Pakistan after he ejected safely from a crashing MiG 21 fighter jet.

On Thursday, a joint press briefing was called by India’s tri-services; Army, Navy and Air Force. India’s tri-services assured the nation that they were vigilant and ready to take on any challenge. Further, Air Vice Marshal R.G.K Kapoor said while Pakistan claimed that its jets fired bombs in open areas, “the fact is that Pakistan targeted military installations but we thwarted their plans. The bombs were unable to cause any significant damage due to swift IAF action”. “IAF remains ever vigilant and ready to take on any eventuality,” he said. He refuted Pakistan’s claims that it had not used F-16s on Wednesday and said that one F-16 was shot down by a MiG-21 Bison.