INDIA STANDS FIRM: No deal with Pak - it must hand over captured IAF hero immediately, say MEA sources harkening back to Pakistan's designs during IC-814 hijacking

Top Ministry of External Affairs sources have ruled out India entering into any deal with Pakistan over the latter country having taken IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan captive.

MEA sources have made clear that India is not hostage to Pakistan, harkening back to the events of 1999 when the Air India plane IC-814 was hijacked and flown to Afghanistan's Kandahar, following which India was pressured through the public's concern into setting free captured terrorists who went on to orchestrate major acts of terrorism against India. However, the same is not going to be the case this time around.

Just as India had implored Pakistan in the demarche issued on Wednesday evening, MEA sources have also reiterated that Wing Commander Abhinandan must be repatriated unconditionally and immediately. 

In the same demarche, Pakistan had also been given more than sufficient evidence of its hand in the Pulwama terror attack, as well as evidence of terrorist training in the Balakot Jaish-e-Mohammed camp that was struck and destroyed by the IAF in its precision operation on Tuesday morning. MEA sources have stated their expectation from Pak PM Imran Khan - that he stay true to his words that an investigation would be carried out based on the evidence India has handed to him.

Here's what the demarche said about the brave IAF pilot:

"India also strongly objected to Pakistan’s vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody. India also expects his immediate and safe return."

Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday after his MIG-21 Bison was lost in the IAF's stupendous pushing-back of Pakistan's squadrons of F-16s that had intruded into Indian airspace with the intention of attacking India's military installations. One of the Pakistani F-16s were shot down by the Indian Air Force.