Indo-Pak updates: India demands safe return of its pilot

Security has been stepped up along Gujarat’s sea and land borders with the neighbouring country and restriction put on travel of people near them besides increasing vigil at vital installations.

Meeting of the three Service Chiefs with PM Narendra Modi at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg ends, reports news agency ANI.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that his country does not want a war and asked India to come to the table to resolve all outstanding issues.

Maharashtra and its capital Mumbai have been put on high alert in the wake of the rising tensions on the country's north-west border

Nepal and Sri Lanka issue statements, reiterate condemnation for Pulwama Attack and urge de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan

Delhi metro on red-alert following Indo-Pak tensions.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh met top officials of army, paramilitary and the police to review the current situation in border areas.

Meanhile, the railways said the Samjhauta Express will continue to run as per schedule from Delhi to Attari in India, amidst reports that Pakistan has suspended its operations between Wagah to Lahore on its side.

UK PM Theresa May expresses concern about rising tensions between India and Pakistan, urges restraint on both sides.

India objects to Pakistan’s vulgar display of injured Indian personnel. This is in violation of the Geneva Conventions, India tells Pak deputy high commissioner.

India hands over dossier on JeM’s role in Pulwama attack.

Meanwhile, the BSF has issued an alert and has taken all preventive measures at the India-Bangladesh border in the eastern part of the country to ensure "miscreants or terror elements" don't cross over taking advantage of the tension at the Indo-Pakistan border.

Meanwhile Russia has offered to negotiate between India and Pakistan amidst escalating tensions.

PM Narendra Modi met with the three service chiefs in the wake of escalating tensions with Pakistan. Nation Security Advisor Ajit Doval too was part of the meet.

India has told the Pakistan deputy high commissioner that it expects the safe return of it pilot.

Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Ghafoor now says that they have only one IAF pilot in their custody. Wing Commander Abhinandan is being treated as per norms of military ethics. Earlier, he had said they had two Indian pilots in their custody, one of who was injured and was receiving treatment at hospital.

The opposition also condemned the dastardly Pulwama attack by Pakistan sponsored terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and lauded the action taken by the Armed Forces.

Following a joint opposition meeting, Rahul; Gandhi said that the leaders are concerned about the missing pilot. The opposition parties experts deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifice of the armed forces by the ruling party. National security must transcend political priorities. He also said while condemning Pakistan’s misadventure, that the PM has regrettably not convened an all party meeting as per the established convention.

India is treating today’s action by the Pakistan Air Force as an act of military aggression.

After Pakistan claimed that it had one IAF pilot in its custody, India has summoned Pakistan deputy high commissioner Syed Haider Shah.

Hours after Pakistan claimed that it had an IAF pilot in its custody, sources said that India has not been informed officially about the same. The whereabouts of IAF Wing Commander, Abhinandan is not known as yet. Pakistan claimed that it had arrested two pilots. While one is in custody, the other is at hospital, Pakistan also said.

The weapons that you and we have, can we afford miscalculation. If it escalates from where, where will it go. Neither will it be in my control nor Modi’s control. Better sense should prevail, let us sit and resolve issues, Imran Khan also said.

Read the full MEA statement here: India had informed about counter-terrorism (CT) action it took yesterday against a training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan based on credible evidence that JeM intended to launch more attacks. Against this counter-trrorism action, Pakistan has responded this morning by using its Air Force to target military installations on the Indian side. Due to our high state of readiness and alertness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled successfully. The Pakistan Air Force was detected and the Indian Air Force responded instantly. In that aerial engagement, one Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft was shot down by a MiG 21 Bison of the Indian Air Force. The Pakistani aircraft was seen by ground forces falling from the sky on the Pakistan side. In this engagement, we have unfortunately lost one MiG 21. The pilot is missing in action. Pakistan has claimed that he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts."

Imran Khan in a televised address warns against escalation. He says Pakistan is ready for dialogue. He also said that better sense should prevail.

Pakistan responded to out counter terror operation by targeting our military installations says MEA.

We were able to foil Pakistan’s efforts due our high state of alertness says MEA.

Pakistan is yet to formally inform India about the missing IAF pilot. Pakistan claimed that it has captured an Indian pilot Abhinandan.

Pakistan targeted military installations. We lost one MIG-21. Pilot missing in action says MEA spokesperson.

MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar says India shot down by Pakistan F-16 jet. In the engagement we have lost one pilot. The whereabouts are unknown. We are ascertaining more details he added.

A joint media briefing of the Indian Air Force and Ministry for External Affairs is underway at New Delhi.

After Pakistan released a video of an Indian pilot being captured, India says it is verifying further details.

Entire airspace of North Delhi vacated amidst escalated tensions with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed about the situation. Amidst the claims made by Pakistan that it had shot down two IAF jets, India has said that it shot down a F-16 jet.

A high level meeting of the civil and police officials has been called in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was called to discuss the measures to be taken in the backdrop of the tensions with Pakistan.

Ghafoor also said that the ground forces arrested two pilots, once of them was injured and has been shifted to the Combined Military Hospital. God willing, he will be taken care of, he also said. Today’s action was in self defence. We dont want to claim any victory, he further said.

Pakistan has released a video showing a blindfolded man saying that he is Wing Commander, Abhinandan. He says that his service number is 27981. He asks if he is with the Pakistan Army as he has a right to know. India is yet to officially respond to the video.

DG ISPR, Pakistan Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor has said that there are reports of a crash of an Indian aircraft on the Indian side. We had no engagement with that aircraft, he also added.

Meanwhile the Taliban has warned India and said that the ongoing tension would affect the Afghanistan peace process. In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said, “the continuation of such conflict will affect the Afghanistan peace process.”

India should not carry any further violence in Pakistan because its continuation will affect regional security. Also the continuation of such conflict will cost a lot to India, he also said.

Maj General Ghafoor while addressing a press conference said that two pilots have been taken into custody. He had earlier said in a tweet that the PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistan airspace. He had also said that one Indian pilot had been arrested.

A Sukhoi 30 MKI was seen chasing the Pakistan F-16 fighter on the Line of Control at the Nowshera sector.

This comes in the wake of Pakistan claiming that it had shot down two Indian aircraft. Indian officials however said that the jets violated Indian air space by entering the border areas of Nowshera sector in Jammu and Kashmir;s Rajouri district.

Pakistani jets violated Indian air space, but were pushed back by Indian aircaft, the report said while quoting top officials. The jets entered into Indian air space over Nowshera sector this morning, but were immediately pushed back by Indian jets on air patrol.

Sources say that the PAF dropped bombs at Laam, Kerri and Nadian in Rajouri district at around 10 am. The Indian jets are still flying in the area. Locals have said that they saw a Pakistani ket in flames across the Line of Control. Meanwhile officials confirm that they have seen the F-16 pilot paradropping.

The Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement said that this was not a retaliation to continued Indian belligerence. Pakistan has therefore taken strikes at non-military targets avoiding human loss and collateral damage. The statement further read, “ sole purpose being to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defence. We have no intention of escalation, but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm. That is why we took the action with clear warning and in broad daylight.”

India however rubbished the claim. Sources tell Oneindia that no aircraft has been shot by Pakistan. The claim of a pilot being arrested os also not true. All our pilots have been accounted for the source also added.

Meanwhile a high level meeting has been convened to assess the situation. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has arrived at the meeting at the Home Ministry and is assessing the situation.

The SSP of Budgam said that some aircraft has fallen. As of now were are ascertaining the situation. We have found two bodies and have evacuated them. The technical team is here and is currently assessing the situation, he also added.