India-Pakistan tensions: IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan to be released tomorrow, says Imran Khan

Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has announced in the country’s parliament that Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan  will be released on Friday. Abhinandan had been detained following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control  (LoC) in which a Pakistani jet and an Indian jet were downed. [caption id=“attachment_5290121” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Earlier, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the country is willing to consider returning the detained IAF pilot if it leads to “de-escalation” of tension with India. “Pakistan is willing to consider returning the Indian pilot if it leads to de-escalation,” Qureshi said in Islamabad. India on Wednesday summoned the acting high commissioner of Pakistan and demanded immediate and safe return of the IAF pilot who was detained by Pakistan following an aerial engagement by air forces of the two countries. It has also been made clear to Pakistan that no harm should be caused to the Indian defence personnel, the External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi, adding that it has conveyed strong objection to the neighbouring country at the “vulgar display” of an injured personnel in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. With inputs from PTI