Indian High Commission in Pakistan has given a demarche to Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday evening seeking immediate and safe return of Indian Air Force’s MiG 21 pilot who was taken into custody by Pakistan after his fighter jet crashed inside POK. Pakistan’s acting High Commissioner in New Delhi was also given similar demarche on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that a MiG-21 had been lost while a pilot was missing after Indian forces repelled three Pakistan Air Force jets which had violated Indian airspace. The Indian Air Force had shot down one Pakistani F 16 jet.
Later, Pakistan released the footage of captured IAF pilot, prompting an immediate response from India with the government slamming Pakistan for the vulgar display of the injured IAF pilot. Pakistan government claimed that the captured IAF pilot has revealed his identity as Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
As tension between India and Pakistan mounted during the day, the entire airspace north of New Delhi was briefly “vacated”. Nine airports in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab were closed for civilian traffic for some part of the day but were opened in the evening.
In that aerial engagement, one Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft was shot down by a MiG 21 Bison of the Indian Air Force. The Pakistani aircraft was seen by ground forces falling from the sky on the Pakistan side.
Read more: Pak fighter jets intrude in Jammu and Kashmir, one F-16 shot down
