It was 'Abhinandan' for Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, released by Pakistan late on Friday at the Wagah-Attari joint check-post (JCP), sixty hours after he was captured.
Wearing a white shirt, blue blazer and grey pants and sporting some scars on his face, a smiling Abhinandan walked back into India around 9.20 pm.
He was then taken to Amritsar in a Toyota Innova car.
"Wing Commander Abhinandan has been handed over. As per standard procedure, he will be taken for a detailed medical check-up as he had to eject from a plane,’’ Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor said.
Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon said, "As he crossed over, Abhinandan was smiling. He said it was good to be back home. He has been taken away by the senior officials of the air force and he will be flown to Delhi after medical examination."
"We were earlier given to understand that he will be handed over to us at 6 PM but there was a delay by the Pakistani authorities. We have not asked Pakistan why. We are happy to have him. As a special case, the border was opened and he crossed the zero line into India," said Dhillon.
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.
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."
Union minister and former Army chief V K Singh on Friday said he was happy that Pakistan was releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, but the neighbouring country needs to do a "lot more".
Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority announced Friday that flight operations at Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta airports have resumed. However, the eastern side airports - Lahore, Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Bahawalpur -- will remain closed till March 4, it added.
It was not clear whether he was made to record the video under duress.The video also had several jump cuts indicating that it had been edited heavily, apparently to fit Pakistani propaganda.
Air Marshal (retd) S Varthaman and Dr Shobha Varthaman were given a standing ovation as passengers made way for them in the early hours of Friday, ensuring that the couple gets off first. They are expected to be in Wagah border to welcome their son back home.(Read here)
Parents of #Abhinandan welcomed with big Applause in flight.!!
— BoundToNation (@boundtonation) March 1, 2019
We all are proud of you and your son Abhinandan.!#FirSeMosi2019
pic.twitter.com/3Q9mQTIkAq
Pakistani forces targeted civilian areas with mortar bombs and heavy guns, including Howitzer 105 mm, they said, adding that Indian forces retaliated effectively.
Initially, the Indian authorities indicated that Wing Commander Varthaman would be handed over to India at around 4 PM and later they suggested that he would be released at around 6:30 PM.However, he finally emerged at 9.10 pm Indian time at the Wagah check-post on the Pakistani side, accompanied by Pakistani rangers, the Indian air attache posted in the High Commission in Islamabad.
Leaders cutting across party lines welcomed the return of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman from captivity in Pakistan on Friday and lauded him for his poise and courage and for making the country proud. (READ MORE HERE)
"It is good to be back in my country," was the first reaction of IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he set his foot back on Indian soil.
On the day Pakistan handed back IAF fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman to India at Wagah, news has emerged that the Pakistan F-16 pilot Wing Commander Shahaz-ud-Din, downed on Wednesday, ended up being lynched by a mob in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) after being mistaken for an Indian. (READ MORE HERE)
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!
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!
IAF Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman returns to India. pic.twitter.com/0uvWUBchcx
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019
The gates at the Wagah-Attari border open up and Wing Commander Abhinandan walks back to his motherland.
The gates at the Wagah-Attari border open up and Wing Commander Abhinandan walks back to his motherland.
IAF Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman at Wagah-Attari border, to cross border soon to enter India. pic.twitter.com/a1hVjwroVw
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019
Pakistan has changed the timing of handover of IAF's Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman twice. Indian defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman is keeping a close watch on proceedings. The handover might now take place at 9 pm tonight.
Khan briefed Abdullah II about his initiatives to maintain peace between Pakistan and India for the sake of the people of the two countries and the region, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
Officials said Pakistan troops used heavy guns including Howitzer 105 mm to target civilian areas in Poonch, leaving one woman injured.
COAS had tel comm with Comd USCENTCOM, CDS UK, CDF Australia and Ambs of US, UK & China in Pak. Prevailing stand off between Pakistan & India & its impact on peace & stability in the region & beyond discussed. “Pak shall surely respond to any aggression in self defence”, COAS.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) March 1, 2019
IAF pilot Abhinandan likely to be awarded with the Vir Chakra award, for his act of bravery, according to reports.
It is raining at the Wagha border as the IAF officials and Abhinandan's parents await his return.
King Abdullah II of Jordan made a telephone call to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and "conveyed his concern over the escalating situation between Pakistan and India", according to a tweet by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.
Prime Minister Imran Khan briefed King Abdullah II about his initiatives to maintain peace between Pakistan and India for the sake of the people of the two countries and the region. #PakistanLeadsWithPeace
— PTI (@PTIofficial) March 1, 2019
Amid tensions along the Line of Control, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh Friday visited forward posts in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation, an official spokesperson said. The Army commander was briefed on the actions taken to meet the challenges of increased ceasefire violations, the official said.
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)issued a statement saying that Chief of Armed Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had a telephonic communication with the US, UK and Australian militaries, as well as the ambassadors over the stand-off with India, Dawn reported.
I wholeheartedly welcome #AbhinandanVartaman back home. Though I would have loved to go and receive him, I did not do so in view of the existing Defence protocols. Hope to see you soon officer! #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan pic.twitter.com/MIcvipqvzH
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) March 1, 2019
Jammu & Kashmir: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan along LoC in Mendhar, Balakote & Krishna Ghati sectors at 6 PM
With India's fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman returning to his homeland after being in Pakistan's custody for two days, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee welcomed his return to India.
Welcome home #AbhinandanVarthaman Welcome home sweet home
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 1, 2019
Visuals from Attari-Wagah border; Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman to be received by a team of Indian Air Force. pic.twitter.com/C4wv14AEAd
— ANI (@ANI) March 1, 2019
China welcomed Pakistan's decision to release the Indian Air Force pilot and encouraged the two countries to engage in more counter terrorism cooperation and dialogue for the regional peace and stability. (Read more)
The ceremony which regularly held at the Attari-Wagah border front along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab on Friday, has been cancelled for Friday, the BSF said. A senior official said the martial ceremony has been called off due to administrative requirements in the wake of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's release. (Read more)
The Beating the Retreat ceremony (at Attari-Wagah Border) will not be held today. Senior team of the Indian Air Force will receive Wing Commander, said Deputy Commissioner Shiv Dular Singh Dhillon at Amritsar.
If we want to save humanity,we must tell the states who provide shelter & funding to terrorists to dismantle the infrastructure of the terrorist camps based in that country, she said.
For the Varthamans, flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft is a sort of family tradition.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman downed a Pakistani F-16 plane before his MiG-21 Bison was hit during a dogfight.
His father Air Marshal (retd) Simhakutty Varthaman also flew the MiG-21s and was an IAF test pilot, who retired five years ago, a family friend said.
Abhinandan's grandfather was also in the IAF, he said.
India had requested Abhinandan's return by air hours after Pakistan announced its decision to release the Indian Air Force pilot India conveyed to Islamabad that it wants him to be sent back via aerial route and not through the Wagah land border, official sources 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 Wing Commander Varthaman. (Read here)
Terrorism and extremism bear different names and labels. It uses diverse causes. But in each case, it is driven by distortion of religion, and a misguided belief in its power to succeed.: Sushma Swaraj
Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Friday that he would not participate in the Council of Foreign Ministers' meet of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi, citing India's presence at the same. Indian's External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj is attending the summit as the guest of honour.
