It lasted only 14 days ~ in the battle of Padma, nearer Jessore, Squadron leader Kumar gets ejected from his fighter aircraft and lands in an area, with full presence of Paki military. Pak committing atrocities on locals takes custody of Indian Squadron leader. He is tortured by Capt,. Mohammad Sultan of Pak army, in whose veins hatred against India runs. When Pak surrenders – Sultan takes Kumar out, and shoots him in his stomach, minutes later, he is arrested by advancing Indian troops who provide medical aid to Sultan .. .. that is ’14 naatkal’ [14 days] novel of Sujatha.
It is good to be back in my country," was the first reaction of IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he set foot on Indian soil. This was stated by an official quoting Varthaman after he received the pilot at the Attari-Wagah border soon after his release by Pakistan.
1st March 2019, Friday was a Happy India for the Nation, as we celebrated the return of Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who had been captured by Pakistan after the MiG-21 Bison jet that he was flying crashed. The IAF pilot returned to India from Attari-Wagah border at around 9:20 pm, where thousands had been waiting for hours for a glimpse of him. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and other leaders welcomed the brave pilot, who has become a hero for the entire nation after he showed immense grit and grace while in the enemy's captivity. Wing Commander Varthaman's release had been delayed due to certain reasons. According to a report in news agency PTI, the IAF pilot’s return was delayed as he was asked to record a statement on camera by Pakistani authorities before he was allowed to cross the border. The recording released on the official Twitter handle of Government of Pakistan was later deleted. It was not clear whether he was made to record the video under duress. The video also had several jump cuts indicating that it had been edited heavily. “Recording of his video message caused a delay in his handing over,” a source said.
THE United States and India have signed a Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement which is expected to boost their bilateral defence and military ties at a time when India is facing a tense stand-off with China in Ladakh. American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper flew into New Delhi to sign the pact with their Indian counterparts. BECA has finalised the completion of four pacts of a strategic nature between the two countries. BECA will give India access to classified geospatial data as well as critical information that has military application. The regional tour by these senior US officials, which has included visits to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, is aimed at countering growing Chinese influence. In this respect, the US secretary of state raised the issue of India’s border tensions with China and expressed solidarity with New Delhi. In Sri Lanka, the US official called China a “predator”. The Chinese foreign ministry responded by saying Mr Pompeo’s accusations reflected his “Cold War mentality” and urged him to “stop sowing discord between China and regional countries as well as undermining the regional peace and stability”.
The US may have its strategic reasons to block Chinese influence in the region, but it should be well aware of the complexities that are weaved into interstate regional dynamics here. Cosying up to India is one way in which Washington wants to resist the domination of China but this has a direct impact on its relations with Islamabad. .. .. the news below is more interesting !!
Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa's "legs were shaking" while Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the meeting of parliamentary leaders that India was about to attack their country, said a Pakistani lawmaker as he recounted the events of February 2019 meeting during which Imran Khan government decided to release Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.
In a speech in the National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Ayaz Sadiq said that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had in an important meeting pointed out that if Pakistan did not release Abhinandan Varthaman, India would attack Pakistan “that night by 9 pm.” The PML-N leader told opposition leaders that Qureshi in a meeting with the parliamentary leaders, including PPP and PML-N and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, had asked for Abhinandan to be let free. “I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting in which Imran Khan had refused to attend and Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa came into the room, his legs were shaking and he was perspiring. Foreign Minister said for God’s sake let Abhinandan go, India’s about to attack Pakistan at 9 PM”, Sadiq recounted the events of the important meeting.
Dunya News further quoted Sadiq as saying that the opposition has supported the government in all issues including Abhinandan but will not be able to further support it.Wing Commander Varthaman shot into limelight after he shot down a Pakistani aircraft F-16, which had transgressed into the Indian airspace during a dog fight between Indian and Pakistani air force on February 27, 2019 and in the process, his plane crossed over to Pakistani side and was shot down.
Abhinandan was returned to India from the Attari-Wagah border on March 1, 2019. He has been awarded the Vir Chakra on Independence Day by President Ram Nath Kovind for his exemplary bravery.
"With legs shaking and sweat on the forehead, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said to us, 'For God's sake, let him (Abhinandan) go back now'," he had claimed, adding "no attack was imminent; they only wanted to capitulate and send Abhinandan back". As his comments went viral on social media and were picked up by Indian television channels, Sadiq issued a clarification on Thursday, saying the tweets and Indian media reports were "totally contrary" to what he actually said in the parliament.
However, his criticism of Prime Minister Imran was unrelenting. He questioned the circumstances under which the decision to release Abhinandan was taken and insisted that the move was wrong. "Abhinandan had not come to Pakistan to distribute sweets; he had attacked Pakistan and it was a victory for Pakistan when his plane was shot down," he said in a video message.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar1.11.2020