Abhinandan Varthaman returns home via Wagah-Attari border within 48 hours

New Delhi, Mar 01: IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan, who was captured by Pakistan in an aerial combat, arrived in India via Wagah border on Friday. He was received by a team of Indian Air Force. He was handed over to the Indian authorities at 5:20 PM. He was accompanied by Indian high commission officials from Lahore to Wagah-Attari border.

Hours after Pakistan announced its decision to release Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, India conveyed to Islamabad that it wants him to be sent back via aerial route and not through the Wagah land border. However, late on Thursday night, Pakistan communicated to India that he will be returned through the Attari-Wagah border only.

The Indian defence establishment was also mulling over sending a special aircraft to Pakistan to bring back Wing Commander Varthaman.

Meanwhile, the daily Retreat ceremony held at the Attari-Wagah border front along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab was cancelled for Friday in view of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's release by Pakistan at this frontier, the BSF said.

Addressing a public meeting in Kanyakumari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that "every Indian is proud that the brave Wing Commander Abhinandan is from Tamil Nadu."

The IAF, in a joint briefing with the Indian Army and the Navy on Thursday, 28 February, said that it was happy about Abhinandan Varthaman's return from Pakistan. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced that Pakistan will release captured pilot as a "gesture of peace"