Pakistan Rangers officials handed over Abhinandan to Indian officers in the presence of officials of Indian High Commission to Pakistan at Wagah.
Abhinandan, in his recent video statement before his release, said he was looking for a target when his aircraft was shot down by the Pakistan Air force.
He said "I ejected my plane and landed using a parachute with only a pistol with me ”
“At reaching the ground, I was surrounded by an angry mob. I had only one way of saving myself I threw my pistol and decided to run” says the Indian pilot.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing a joint sitting of the parliament on Thursday, announced release of the caught Indian pilot today (Friday) as a peace gesture and a first step towards de-escalation of the ongoing nerves between the 2 countries.
Shortly after he was handed over to Indian officials at Wagah, Pakistan Foreign Office said "The captured Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been returned to India today. He was arrested when his military jet MIG-21 crashed in Azad Jammu & Kashmir after being shot down by Pakistan Air Force for violating Pakistani airspace on February 27, 2019.”
Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured by the Pakistan’s ground forces after his MiG-21 was shot down by Pakistan Air Force ( PAF ) on getting across the Line of Control ( LoC ) on Wednesday.