NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked on Thursday thatone ‘pilot project’ was over, and now it was time for the ‘real one’ in areference to the announcement of the release of captured wing commanderAbhinandan by Pakistan.
“There is a tradition of doing pilot projects first, and then they are madescalable. Just now, a pilot project has got over. Now we have to do thereal one, it was practice till now,” the Indian premier insinuated at agathering.
Modi then explained his cryptic remark by saying that by the real one, hemeant to ‘give a standing ovation to the winners’ of Shanti SwarupBhatnagar Prizes.
The remark came minutes after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khanannounced in a joint session of the Parliament that the Indian Air Forcepilot will be released on March 1st as a gesture of peace.
Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was taken into custody in Pakistan onWednesday after his MiG 21 fighter jet violated the Line of Control and wasshot down by Pakistan Air Force. In a video statement, the captured pilothad confirmed that he was being treated well by the armed forces ofPakistan.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister once again called for de-escalation with India ina speech which is being widely hailed across the world.
“Don’t take this any further, Pakistan will be forced to retaliate. I hopethe international community will play its part to ensure the situation doesnot escalate beyond this,” the prime minister added.
Earlier, while speaking to a private TV channel, Pakistan’s ForeignMinister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had said Pakistan would be willing toconsider returning the Indian pilot if it led to de-escalation.
“If there is de-escalation with the return of this [Indian] pilot, Pakistanis willing to consider this,” Qureshi said.