Live Updates: Wing Commander Abhinandan to return home today

The captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot will be freed on Friday 'as a peace gesture', Pakistan Prime Minister announced on Thursday, hours after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Imran Khan was ready to talk to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to de-escalate tensions between the two neighbours

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan: As a peace gesture we are releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/J0Attb6KDC

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

The surprise announcement during a joint session of Parliament came barely an hour after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Prime Minister Khan was ready to talk to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As the Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif took the floor of the House, Khan apologised for interrupting him and said he wishes to announce that the Indian pilot captured by the Pakistan Air Force on Wednesday will be released on Friday as a peace gesture

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the IAF was captured by Pakistanis on Wednesday after an aerial engagement between the air forces near the Line of Control (LoC). He parachuted and fell into Pakistani territory. He has been in Pakistan since then

The Indian Air Force said it is very happy that captured pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman is returning home but dismissed suggestions 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. Watch video here...

#WATCH Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor: We are happy that our pilot who had fallen across the Line of Control and was in custody of Pakistan is being released, we're extremely happy to have him back. We only see it as a gesture which is in consonance with all Geneva conventions. pic.twitter.com/Dg5Cpel4Lw

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019