Abhinandan is in the custody of Pakistan Army after his MiG-21 aircraft went down yesterday in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) while chasing 20 fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force which transgressed 10 kms into Indian air space beyond the Line of Control (LoC), using laser bombs to target military installations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Wing Commander Abhinandan should be repatriated unconditionally and there can be no deal on this issue between the two countries, sources asserted here on Thursday.
Abhinandan was flying a MiG-21 Bison fighter plane which went down in PoK while chasing F-16 combat aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force after the latter violated the Indian airspace in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning. One of the F-16s was shot down in the aerial engagement which took place at around 9.45 am.
The sources said that if Pakistan, after capturing the Wing Commander, thinks they have a card to negotiate with, they do not have any.
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Pakistan is trying to create Kandahar-type pressure, but India will not give in, the sources said.
There will be no deal or talks with Pakistan on this, they said, adding India expected a humane treatment meted out to the Wing Commander.
Giving details of yesterday's transgression by the Pakistan Air Force, the sources said there is escalation from the Pakistani side and the Indian side was forced to engage.
They added that the Indian side caused a casualty in the downing of Pakistani aircraft (F-16) and foiled Pakistan's attempts.
The sources said Pakistan has been spreading disinformation and creating a war psychosis by actions like closing its air space and stopping the Indo-Pak Samjhauta Express.
Pakistan has also been lying that India had moved Naval ships to launch missile strikes, sources said.India has not targeted any civilian or military facility in Pakistan, the sources said.
The sources maintained that Indian Air Force's target was a terror facility of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the sources said.
The narrative is back to counter terrorism, they said, adding it is time India diplomatically convinces the world about the justifiable grounds on which the February 26 action was taken.
The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council can now see through Pakistan's methods, sources said.
The sources wondered whether the Pakistani Prime Minister knew the truth or he was not informed.
About terrorism, they said the External Affairs Ministry handed over a dossier on JeM to the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan yesterday, sharing evidence about the terror outfit's activities in India.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan must now walk the talk on dealing with terrorism, sources said, adding that this is India's message to the international community.
India needs immediate credible information on terrorism and nothing short of that will be acceptable, sources said.
The sources informed that India considered sharing actionable information about the JeM camp, but felt it would of no use as India gave everything during the attack in Pathankot, but Pakistan didn't do anything.
Sources said the proposed talks on Kartarpur have not been called off by the Indian side.
While India is ready for talks on Kartarpur, Pakistan has called it off.
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