Pakistan to release Indian pilot tomorrow as peace gesture: Pakistan PM Imran Khan

As a goodwill gesture, Prime Minister Imran Khan today said that Pakistan is ready release captured India Air Force Pilot Abhinandan tomorrow. 

"We have decided to release the captured Indian pilot tomorrow as a peace gesture," Imran Khan announced this in Pakistan Parliament. Earlier in the day Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had said that Pakistan is ready to release IAF pilot if it leads to de-escalation. 

Addressing the joint session of Parliament, Imran Khan, however said our de-escalation efforts should not be seen a weak gesture. 

He also said that he tried to reach out to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday. 

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to talk to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi over the telephone to offer him



peace. 

Qureshi told Geo News that if India gives priority to peace, Pakistan is ready for peace. 

"Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to talk to Narendra Modi on the telephone and ready to extend an invitation of peace. Is Modi ready?" he asked. 

"We are ready for every eventuality. If they give priority to peace, we are ready for peace. If they prioritise dialogue, we are ready for dialogue," the Foreign Minister said. 

Qureshi also confirmed the receipt of India's dossier on the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). 

"Let's talk together on the basis of the dossier. I am ready to talk. You want to talk about terrorism, I am ready. You want to talk about peace, I am ready. You want to make it a common challenge, I am ready," he said.