Abhinandan's convoy likely to reach Attari at 6 pm

March 01, 2019 16:28

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthanam to reach Wagah by 6 pm. At Attari, on the Indian side of the border, IAF officials await his arrival. He will be taken to Amritsar for medical check-ups and a debriefing and then taken by an IAF flight to New Delhi. His parents, who reached Delhi from Chennai last night, will not be at Wagah. Abhinandan is travelling in a convoy from Lahore to Attari which is a distance of 22 km away.

India has cancelled the Beating the Retreat ceremony today, as India wants Abhinandan's return to be overshadowed.

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh who wanted to be in Wagah to receive Abhinandan, said, he would not be there since it would be a breach of protocol. He had tweeted, "whenever anybody comes back like it happened to Prisoners of War in '65 & '71, they had to first go for a medical and then be debriefed. I think same process will be followed here."

At Wagah, hundreds of Indians, faces painted with the national flag, waited to see Abhinandan return, chanting slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.

Pakistan had turned down a request by India to send him back by air.

Indian officials said hours after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the decision to release Varthaman, India conveyed to Islamabad that he be sent back via the aerial route. However, late in the night, Pakistan conveyed to India that the pilot will be returned through the Attari-Wagah border and India's request could not be heeded to, the sources said.

Varthaman was captured by Pakistan after his Mig-21 Bison was shot down by a Pakistani jet during a fierce dogfight on Wednesday. The Indian defence establishment was also mulling sending a special plane.

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