India presents evidence of Pakistan’s missile attack
Joint Presser by India’s Military was addressed by Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor (left), Major General Surinder Singh Mahal (middle) and Rear Admiral Dalbir Singh Gujral (right). Senior officials from the three wings of Indian Military came out at the joint press conference to dispel false propaganda unleashed by Pakistan Army and its rogue intelligence agency– ISI.
(Photo: PTI)
IAF: No goodwill gesture, Pilot’s release in line with the Geneva Convention
Representatives of the Indian Air Force, the Army and the Navy, conducted a joint media briefing today and shared that armed forces are on high alert and ready to meet any security challenge on land and sea.
The Indian Air Force said it is very happy that captured pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman is returning home but dismissed suggestions that it was a goodwill gesture, insisting it was in line with the Geneva Conventions. “We are very happy Abhinandan will be freed tomorrow and look forward to his return,” Air Vice Marshal R G K Kapoor, assistant chief of Air Staff, told a news conference.
Asked if the IAF sees it as a goodwill move, he said, “We see it as a gesture in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced in Parliament on Thursday that Varthaman would be released on Friday as a “peace gesture”
Tensions between the two countries escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan early Tuesday. It came 12 days after the JeM claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.
Pakistan succumbs to India’s diplomatic offensive, will release pilot Abhinandan
Pakistan succumbed to intense international pressure and diplomatic offensive launched by India as it agreed to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, made an announcement in the Parliament of Pakistan. He said that they are willing to release the Indian pilot tomorrow.
Yesterday, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman had successfully shot down Pakistan’s F-16 that had intruded into Indian airspace. However, he had to eject his Mig-21 when it was struck by retaliatory fire and had landed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He was then captured by Pakistan Army. India then launched massive diplomatic offensive and was successful in isolating Pakistan. All major powers of the world including the US, France, UK, Saudi Arabia and even China directed Pakistan to follow Geneva Convention on Prisoner’s of War (POW).
That Pakistan was under intense international pressure was evident when today morning US President Donald Trump had said that there would be some “reasonably decent news” on the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan. “They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop,” Trump said. “We have been in the middle trying to help them both out.”
In a face saving gesture Imran Khan termed the release of Indian pilot as a “peace gesture”.
Earlier, India had called for the “immediate and safe return” of the Indian pilot and had termed the circulation of videos showing his “capture” by Pakistan as a violation of international law and in contravention of the Geneva Conventions.
Updates on the India-Pakistan stand-off
- Amidst ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan all three defence services of the country, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy will address a joint press conference today in New Delhi at 1700 hrs (5 pm IST). The spokesperson from the Ministry of External Affairs will also join this conference.
- This joint press conference is expected to give clarity on the Indian Air Force pilot that has been taken as a prisoner of war (POW) by Pakistan. The IAF pilot was involved in a dogfight with Pakistani F-16 when it had intruded Indian airspace on Wednesday morning. The IAF pilot shot down Pakistan’s F-16 before his plane was hit. He had to eject and landed in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and had since been in Pak Army’s custody.
- Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) later in the evening today, which will be followed by Union Cabinet meeting at his residence.
- Pakistan has expressed its unhappiness over India’s invitation to attend the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It is yet not clear if Pak’s foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will attend the OIC meeting after he threatened to boycott the meet over invitation to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.
- Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has put a condition to return Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot— Wing Commander Abhinandan only if India helps ease the conflict. “We are willing to return the captured Indian pilot if it leads to de-escalation,” he was quoted as saying. He also said the Saudi foreign minister was expected to visit Pakistan with a special message from Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, who visited both Pakistan and India earlier this month.
- Sources within Indian government have said that India has not asked for any consular access to Abhinandan. “The IAF pilot has to be repatriated unconditionally and immediately, there is no question of any deal,” the Press Trust of India said.
- United States President Donald Trump said earlier today that there would be some “reasonably decent news” on the conflict between India and Pakistan. “They have been going at it and we have been involved in trying to have them stop,” Trump said. “We have been in the middle trying to help them both out.”
- Meanwhile, Pakistan has shut its airspace, forcing all commercial airlines to re-plan their aerial routes. Thai Airways International said that it has cancelled all flights to Pakistan and Europe that has left thousands of passengers stranded in Bangkok.
What Geneva Convention says about PoW?
As per the reports coming from Pakistan army, Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, in Pakistani custody after his plane was shot down on Wednesday, will be governed under the Geneva Convention of 1929. During the Kargil War, Flight Lieutenant Kambampati Nachiketa was captured after his MiG-27 suffered a flameout while destroying enemy positions in the Batalik subsector. He was captured by Pakistan on May 27, 1999 and remained in Pakistani custody for more than a week. He was repatriated to India on June 3 of that year, as per Geneva Convention.
Here’s what you should know about Geneva Convention:
The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for humanitarian treatment in war. The term ‘Geneva Convention’ usually denotes the agreements of 1949, negotiated in the aftermath of the Second World War (1939–45). The Geneva Conventions extensively defined the basic rights of wartime prisoners (civilians and military personnel), established protections for the wounded and sick, and established protections for the civilians in and around a war-zone. It asserted that PoWs be given humane treatment and adequate feeding, forbidding the belligerents to apply undue pressure on prisoners to supply more than a minimum of information. In 1977, the protocol to cover both civilians and combatants in the conventions was approved with the help of negotiations from the Red Cross.
The convention has the following aims:
1. Immunity from capture and destruction of all establishments for the treatment of wounded and sick soldiers and their personnel,
2. Impartial reception and treatment of all combatants,
3. Protection of civilians providing aid to the wounded, and
4. Recognition of the Red Cross symbol as a means of identifying persons and equipment covered by the agreement.
Current scenario and Geneva Convention:
If Wing Commander Abhinandan is officially declared as a PoW, then in accordance with Article 118, first paragraph, of the 1949 third Geneva Convention, “Prisoners of war shall be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities” and “unjustifiable delay in the repatriation of prisoners of war or civilians” is a grave breach of the Protocol.
Red alert sounded for Delhi Metro
Delhi Metro has been put on red alert by the authorities, as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated. “As advised by security agencies, Red Alert has been imposed in entire DMRC netwok from 6 PM onwards today,” a statement by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation or DMRC said.
“Under Red Alert, all station controllers are required to inspect entire station premises for any suspicious items/activity including parking lots and report to the Control Centre every two hours,” the statement further read.
Delhi metro sees a footfall of more than 2.5 million every day and on occasions where the safety of passengers may be at risk, security is strengthened in stations and on the trains.
The move came after the Pakistani Air Force violated Indian airspace and tried to target military installations. Earlier today, the air space north of Delhi had been temporarily shut by the authorities and services in nine airports were suspended.
Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner summoned
To lodge a strong protest over Pakistan Air Force’s bid to attack Indian military installations, India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner to External Affairs Ministry sources said.
According to sources, Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah, who was summoned to the South Block here, also told Indian officials about capturing of an Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities.
India has accused Pakistan of using its Air Force to target Indian military installations on Wednesday morning in response to pre-dawn counter-terror strikes of Tuesday against Jaish-e-Mohammad camps in Pakistan.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign office also summoned India’s Acting High Commissioner Gaurav Ahluwalia and condemned what it called “unprovoked ceasefire violations” by the Indian forces along the LoC.
Shopian encounter: Two Jaish terrorists killed
Amidst escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists, including a Pakistani national, were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Meemendar area of Shopian following information about presence of terrorists there, a police spokesperson said.They said the search operation turned into an encounter after terrorists opened fire towards the security forces, who retaliated.
The two terrorists were killed in the ensuing gunfight, he said. “Their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. Both were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM,” the spokesperson said. One of the slain terrorist was identified as Suhail Nazir Mir, a resident of Saidapora Payeen area of Shopian and the other was identified as a Pakistani national.
Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, was recovered from the site of the encounter, the spokesperson said, adding that the police has registered a case and initiated investigations.
India–Pakistan crisis: Pak F-16 shot down by IAF, one Indian pilot arrested
The Government of India informed that IAF has shot down a Pakistan fighter aircraft. “Pakistan responded to India’s counter-terrorism action this morning by using its Air Force. Due to our high state of readiness and alertness, Pakistan’s attempts were foiled successfully. In the aerial engagement, a Pakistan fighter aircraft was shot down by a MiG 21 Bison. The aircraft was seen by ground forces falling on the Pakistan side,” said MEA Spokesperson.
“We unfortunately lost one MiG 21 in this engagement and the pilot is missing. Pakistan claims the pilot is in their custody, however we are ascertaining the facts,” he said.
Pakistan, on the other hand, claimed on wednesday that it shot down two Indian military aircraft over Pakistani air space and arrested one of the pilots. Military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed in a tweet that one of the aircraft crashed in Pakistan occupied Kashmir while the other fell in Jammu and Kashmir.