Published 13:36 IST, October 29th 2020
BJP asks Rahul Gandhi if he believes India's Abhinandan ultimatum now, as Pakistan admits
JP Nadda has slammed Congress for questioning Balakot airstrike by India, while sharing viral video from Pakistan parliament recalling Abhinandan's capture
Slamming the Congress party for questioning the Balakot air strike and other actions taken by India against Pakistan-sponsored terrorists after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, BJP chief JP Nadda has said that country has rejected their politics. Reacting to the video in which PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq states that Pakistan foreign minister was shivering and begged to return Wing Commander Abhinandan warning that India was about to attack, JP Nadda said that Congress (Rahul Gandhi specifically) will now believe the valour of our forces because its "most trusted nation" has spoken.
PML-N leader: 'Bajwa was shaking, pleading to let Abhinandan go'
Taking a jibe at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government, PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq on Wednesday, recounted that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was sweating and shivering 'begging to return Abhinandan back to India', otherwise 'India was to attack at 9 PM', while addressing the Pakistan National Assembly. Sadiq claimed that Imran Khan's government was desperate to 'bend its knees to India', giving the example of the ordinance passed to allow Kulbhushan Jadhav's appeal in Islamabad high court against his conviction. This comment comes amid 11 opposition parties' protests in a bid to oust the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) government.
"Speaking about Kulbhushan, we were not the ones who introduced an ordinance in one night and then kept it hidden for two months. We did not respectfully present him in Islamabad High Court, as the present government. I remember Shah Mahmood Qureshi was in the meeting, which PM (Imran Khan) refused to attend and Chief of Army Staff (Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa) attended. His legs were shaking and he was sweating, saying 'For God's sake, let him (Abhinandan) go because India is about to attack Pakistan at 9 PM'," said Sadiq.
Sadiq added, "There was no attack from India till then, but they wanted to bend on their knees for India and send Abhinandan back. So I request them to not talk about such things, forcing us to talk about such things. Talk things which enhance productivity, get legislation done."
Imran Khan admits to India's missile threat & deadline
It also came to light that Pakistan PM Imran Khan had admitted to India's plan to strike by missile if it did not comply with releasing Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. An undated video has been doing the rounds on social media, in which Pakistan PM Imran Khan can be heard saying that he is aware of a missile attack plan and also of their counter preparations:
"I am aware of our preparations. I am aware of how prepared the Pakistan army is and what are its positions. I also know that there was a plan to attack Pakistan with missile which was defused later," PM Imran Khan says in the video.
Wing Commander Abhinandan's capture and release
In a high-altitude dogfight that ensued on February 27, 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan used his close-combat R73 missile to shoot down a Pakistani F-16, but was captured by Pakistan Army. He spent days in Pakistan's custody after his MiG-21 Bison aircraft was shot down but was released on March 1, 2019, by the Pakistan forces, as per the Geneva Convention agreement after tremendous pressure by the Indian government. He has been awarded the Vir Chakra on Independence Day by President Ram Nath Kovind, for his exemplary bravery.
Updated 13:36 IST, October 29th 2020