UN chief welcomes Pakistan's decision of releasing captured Indian pilot

NEW YORK: Secretary General United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres on Friday hailed Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to release the captured Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthman.

On Feb 27, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) after striking down two Indian fighter jets arrested one pilot, who ejected himself after being hit in the airspace of Pakistan in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“The report of the release of the Indian pilot by the Pakistani authorities would be very much a welcome step,” the UN chief’s Spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said at the regular briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.

The Secretary-General is in touch with both Pakistan and India at various levels and we would encourage both parties to do whatever we can to defuse the tensed situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in the South Asia.

Read more: Pakistani and foreign celebrities laud PM Khan on the release of Indian pilot

Pakistan will release captured Indian pilot Abhinandan on Friday (today) as a gesture of peace in order to de-escalate the soaring tensions with New Delhi.

The big announcement was made on Thursday by Prime Minister Imran Khan at a joint session of parliament, summoned to send a strong message to India that the nation is united in the face of Indian belligerent acts.

Abhinandan would be handed over at Wagah border crossing to officials of the Indian High Commission, sources said.