Parties hail PM’s gesture to release Indian pilot

The announcement by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to release the captive Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture has widely been welcomed by almost all the political parties, but the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has questioned its timing.After attending the joint sitting of parliament, PPP leader Syed Khursheed Shah said he believed that the decision to release the Indian Air Force pilot should have been delayed a little.He said as Pakistan had already offered dialogue and declared that it was ready for talks with the help of a number of friendly countries, it would have been better that such a decision was taken during the talks.“It would have been better if we have taken this decision by involving some of the countries and through them,” Shah added.“However, it’s worth the price if India avoids war after it,” he said.Commenting on the prime minister’s speech during the joint sitting, the PPP leader said that they did not want to make any criticism on the government at this point of time.He said Pakistan did not want war and only desired peace in the region and there was no other option. He was of the view that India should benefit from this attitude of Pakistan.A number of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers and office-bearers praised the prime minister’s speech, saying that Khan had adopted a statesman-like approach.“Prime Minister Khan has shown an extraordinary gesture in international relations that despite no obligation to return a prisoner of war (POW) till armed conflict or hostilities are formally over, he has chosen to adopt a statesman-like approach and decided to repatriate the Indian prisoner,” said Senator Faisal Javed.He said under the Third Geneva Convention, obligation on the state to return POW triggered only upon cessation of hostilities. Whereas, he said, despite no legal obligation, the prime minister had taken a bold decision. Ex-generals laud decision: Appreciating Prime Minister Khan’s decision of releasing Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan, retired generals of Pakistan Army are hopeful that this gesture of peace will help de-escalate tension between India and Pakistan. One retired general claimed that after its fighter jet was shot down, India was ready to attack Pakistan with non-nuclear missiles on Wednesday night.The government of Pakistan received this information through credible intelligence sources. However, the international community, especially western countries, stopped India from doing this.The generals also believe that prime minister took the decision of releasing the pilot after consulting the top military leadership. The ex-generals said the release of Indian pilot will create a goodwill gesture and this will be a diplomatic victory for Pakistan.Lt Gen (R) Asif Yasin Malik said Prime Minister Khan had displayed statesmanship by announcing the release of Indian pilot. He said Pakistan had already achieved its purpose. “The effect we already have created on India is not going to diminish soon. We shot their fighting jet and we have captured their pilot. They cannot undo this. Therefore, it is a useless discussion whether we keep the Indian pilot with us or release him. Strategically and militarily, this is a great move by Pakistan to release the Indian pilot,” said Malik.It’s a win-win situation for Pakistan, as the entire world has appreciated this move, he said.General (R) Amjed Shoaib said this was a great decision of Prime Minister Khan to release the Indian pilot. He was supposed to be release sooner or later. The timing matters a lot in any strategic decision and this was the best time to release the Indian pilot.“We could not keep him in our custody for longer. Pakistan would have faced international pressure to release him. But his early release will create a good impression and it will present a good gesture in the international community,” he said, adding that this was purely a political decision by the prime minister to release the Indian pilot. “However, the top leadership of armed forces must have been taken into confidence while taking this decision.”General Amjed Shoaib also believes the international community might have played role in de-escalating the situation. They might have asked Pakistan to release the Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture.Major General (R) Ijaz Awan said Prime Minister Khan had taken a positive step by releasing the Indian pilot. “This goodwill gesture will yield positive results for Pakistan on the diplomatic front. We could not use the Indian pilot as a pawn for long. Sooner or later he was to be returned. I think this is the right time to hand him over to India before the international community demanded his release”, commented Gen (R) Awan.He said he was hopeful that tension between Indian and Pakistan would de-escalate soon. “There are credible intelligence reports that India is going to attack Pakistan with non-nuclear missiles because after their fighting jet was shot down India could not afford to use its air force for another attack. Pakistan however sent a message to the international community that they will be left with no option but to retaliate and this will lead to a full-scale war. The international community reacted on this and played its role to de-escalate the situation,” informed Gen (R) Awan.