Pakistan will release captured Indian pilot tomorrow as a peace gesture, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thurday.
The premier made the announcement while addressing a joint session of the parliament where he briefed members of the Senate and National Assembly on the ongoing situation with arch-rival India.
Pakistan’s desire for de-escalation should not be confused as weakeness, he asserted as he thanked the parliamentary opposition for the continued support amid rising tensions with India.
“I reached out to New Delhi after assuming charge as prime minister. I wrote to Narendra Modi and suggested a meeting between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. But we did not get a positive response.”
The premier said Islamabad realized that due to the upcoming elections in India, maintaining good ties with Pakistan was not on Modi-led government’s priority. “It was not in Bharatya Janata Party’s (BJP) campaign manifesto. We decided to wait until after India’s general elections. We opened up Kartarpur Corridor as a positive gesture but we feared misadventures.”
“Then the Pulwama attack happened. Within half an hour, India blamed Pakistan for the attack. We had Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman visiting Islamabad. Why would we sabotage an important conference? What could we gain from it?”
PM Imran referred to a televised address where he offered India complete cooperation in Pulwama attack investigation and sought credible intelligence.
“But instead of evidence, India opted for war-hysteria. I want to pay homage to Pakistan’s media for the responsible coverage. Our media did not engage in warmongering.”
No country allows its sovereignty to be attacked. India shared the dossier today, after breaching international laws and attacking Pakistan.
Tensions escalated dramatically between Pakistan and India on February 14 when a young man – a native of Indian occupied Kashmir (IoK) – rammed an explosives-laden car into an Indian military convoy, killing at least 44 soldiers. India was quick to blame the state of 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.
Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a press conference that the armed forces had responsibly retaliated to Indian incursion by strucking 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.
Imran Khan with his wisdom humility and humble ness has uplifted Pakistan’s image in the world.
This is a real leader, a credible honest self right man.
We salute him and his name shall go down as one of the greats to bless Pakistan and honour Pakistan.
For the feudalist still supporting Sharof and the Bhuttos please please for a moment just imagine if these hollow thugs were in power. They would have humiliated Pakistan in the most undignified way.
Well done Imran Khan, you sir have done more for Pakistan in 6 months then Gardari and Sharif did over a decade.
We salute you sir and want the PPP and MLN loyal dim wits to take heed. Zardari and Shareef constantly humiliated Pakistan with their non diplomacy and inability to speak from the heart. Actually their inability to speak full stop.
Well done Kaptaan.
A strong leader is vital to portray the right image to the world and strengthen international position.
Strategic partnership with China and silently with Russia, Reassured strong ties with Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia is bringing Pakistan’s important place back in international community thanks to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by a credible humble leader and equally credible politicians.