LIVE! The josh is high at Attari as Abhinandan set to return

Michael Kugelman, one of the most astute observers of developments in South Asia, responds to Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir’s offer to visit the Jabba, the site of the bombing by India. Kugelman, who is Deputy director @AsiaProgram and South Asia senior associate @TheWilsonCenter, responds: “Thanks for the offer 🙂  But I’ve already seen plenty of credible reports on the ground (and there is also satellite imagery) that make quite clear that Indian claims of killing hundreds of terrorists — or even of destroying terrorist facilities – are spurious if not outright false.”

10:27  The josh is high at Attari as Abhinandan set to return :  

ON a regular day, the atmosphere at Attari, the border with Pakistan at Wagah, is charged with high definition patriotism. Slogans of Bharat Mata ki Jai ring out from the crowds gathered to watch the BSF match goosesteps in mock hostility towards its Pakistani counterparts. 

Today, the patriotic fervor will be at its peak. 

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, captured by Pakistan during an aerial combat, is expected to be handed over to India at the Wagah border.

The pilot is likely to be brought by Pakistani authorities from Rawalpindi to Lahore and handed over first to the International Committee of Red Cross under rules of the Geneva Convention before being brought to the JCP between 12 pm and 2 pm to return home. 

Varthaman will be debriefed by defence and security officials after his return.

A team of Indian Air Force officials will receive Wing Commander Abhinandan at the Wagah border on Friday evening,

Varthaman’s MiG 21 was shot and he bailed out after bringing down one Pakistani F-16 fighter during a dogfight to repel a Pakistani attack on Wednesday morning. He has been in Pakistan since then.Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced in Parliament on Thursday that Varthaman would be released on Friday as a “peace gesture”.

At the armed forces press conference yesterday, Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor, the assistant chief of Air Staff, said, “We are happy that our pilot who had fallen across the Line of Control and was in the custody of Pakistan is being released. We are extremely happy to have him back. We only see it as a gesture which is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.” 

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has offered to receive Wing Commander Varthaman at the Attari border. The Congress leader tweeted his request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”Dear @narendramodi ji, I’m touring the border areas of Punjab & I’m presently in Amritsar. Came to know that @pid_gov has decided to release #AbhinandanVartaman from Wagha. It will be a honour for me to go and receive him, as he and his father are alumnus of the NDA as I am,” he wrote.

09:20  Pompeo hopeful India-Pak tension would come down:  

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday he had “good conversations” with Indian and Pakistani leaders and was hopeful that the rising tension will come down between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Over the last two days, Pompeo spoke to the leaders of the two countries including External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

“We were and continue to be very engaged with the issue between India and Pakistan,” Pompeo told reporters travelling with him from Hanoi, Vietnam to Manila in the Philippines.

“I spent a good deal of time on the phone last night talking to leaders in both countries, making sure there was good information exchanged, encouraging each country to not take any action that would escalate and create increased risk,” he said.

“I had good conversations, and I am hopeful that we can take down the tension there, at least for the time being, so they can begin to have conversations that don’t portend risk of escalation to either of the two countries. So we’re working hard on that,” Pompeo said. — PTI

The United States has reaffirmed its demand that Pakistan abide by its United Nations Security Council commitments to deny safe havens to terrorists and block their access to funds as it welcomed Islamabad’s decision to release the captured Indian Air Force pilot.  

In a surprise announcement during a joint session of Parliament on Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be released on Friday as a gesture of peace.

Pakistan detained Varthaman Wednesday following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control when his MiG 21 fighter jet was downed.

“We welcome Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s commitment that Pakistan will release on Friday the Indian pilot held in its custody,” a State Department spokesperson told PTI responding to a question on the announcement made by Khan in the Pakistani parliament.

Simultaneously, the US has urged both India and Pakistan to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions. 

“The United States continues to urge both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation, including through direct communication. Further military activity will exacerbate the situation,” the State Department spokesperson said.  

“We reiterate our call for Pakistan to abide by its United Nations Security Council commitments to deny terrorists safe haven and block their access to funds,” the spokesperson said.

09:11  Masood Azhar is in Pak, he’s very unwell: Pak FM :  

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday admitted that terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is in Pakistan.

Speaking to CNN, Qureshi said, “He is in Pakistan. According to my information. he’s very unwell. He is unwell to the extent that he cannot leave his house.” 

When asked why Pakistan hasn’t yet arrested Azhar who caused so much tension between India and Pakistan, Qureshi said Pakistan wants evidence so that it can stand in a court of law and follow a legal process.

“If they (India) have evidence share with us so that we can convince the people and the judiciary,” he said.

 At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed and many injured on February 14 in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a JeM suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district.

India has strongly reiterated its appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including Azhar, as designated terrorists under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council, and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan.

08:28  1 civilian injured in ceasefire violation by Pak in Uri:  

One civilian was injured Friday in a ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing towards Indian posts and villages in Kamalkote area of Uri in Baramulla district on Thursday evening, the officials said. 

They said the intermittent firing continued through out the night. One civilian has been injured in the firing.

Indian Army has responded to the Pakistani firing in adequate measure, the officials said.  

The ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops comes as tensions between India and Pakistan rose following the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed. 

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. — PTI

00:03  We won’t move on talks with Trump: North Korea:  

North Korea’s foreign minister says Pyongyang’s position will not change even if the US seeks further talks.

Ri Yong Ho’s statement came after the summit in Vietnam between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ended without agreement.

Trump said the US had refused demands for all sanctions to be lifted.

But at a late-night news conference, Ri insisted the North had only asked for partial sanctions relief, not a complete lifting.

He said his country had made “realistic” proposals including the complete decommissioning of the Yongbyon nuclear research centre, under the watch of US observers.

In return, he said, the North had wanted only partial sanctions relief.

Ri said Pyongyang had also offered to permanently halt nuclear and long-range rocket testing. He added that it might be hard to see an opportunity such as the Hanoi summit again.

“Our principal stand will remain invariable and our proposals will never change, even if the United States proposes negotiations again in the future,” he told reporters.