India seeks immediate, safe return of pilot in Pakistan custody

India seeks immediate, safe return of pilot in Pakistan custody

A photograph of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthamana, who is in Pakistan

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) India on Wednesday said that Pakistan has committed "unprovoked act of aggression" by targeting Indian military posts with its air force and sought immediate and safe return of an Indian pilot in its custody.

India issued a demarche to Pakistan objecting to "vulgar display" of an injured person of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms and said Islamabad must ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody.

The External Affairs Ministry summoned Pakistan's Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah and lodged a strong protest at "the unprovoked act of aggression by Pakistan against India earlier today, including by violation of the Indian air space by Pakistan Air Force and targeting of Indian military posts".

It also gave Pakistan a dossier with specific details of Jaish-e-Mohammed's complicity in Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed earlier this month.

"India also strongly objected to Pakistan's vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody.

"India also expects his immediate and safe return," the statement said.

India had earlier in the day accused Pakistan of targeting the country's military installations in response to its counter-terrorism action a day earlier and said an Indian MiG-21 Bison pilot was "missing in action".

It said that Pakistan has used its air force to target military installations on the Indian side and in the aerial engagement, one PAF fighter aircraft was shot down but a MiG-21 aircraft was also lost.

--IANS

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