‘Confident That Abhinandan Varthaman Would Be Back Safely’: Ex-Envoy to Pakistan ParthasarathyTop Stories

February 28, 2019 16:14
‘Confident That Abhinandan Varthaman Would Be Back Safely’: Ex-Envoy to Pakistan Parthasarathy

(Image source from: tribuneindia.com)

Former High Commissioner of India to Pakistan Gopalaswami Parthasarathy expressed confidence that wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan, will come back safely.

Parthasarathy earlier played a key role in bringing back Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot K Nachiketa during the 1999 Kargil war. Recollecting at that time incident, Parthasarathy said growing international pressure had forced Pakistan to come up with a "goodwill gesture" of releasing Nachiketa.

Nachiketa, a flight lieutenant was forced to eject in Pakistani territory after his jet developed a technical snag 20 years ago.

"I am confident that Abhinandan would be back safely. I have no doubts about it. Pakistan has to abide by the Geneva Convention (of 1929), they just can't violate it," he told PTI.

Varthaman was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday after his plane was shot down. The Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot will be governed under the Geneva Convention of 1929. India had called for the immediate and safe return of Varthaman and strongly objected to the neighboring country's "vulgar display" of injured defense personnel in violation of international norms.

"The (Kargil) war (was) getting politically uncomfortable for Pakistan. People (the international community) realized that they (Pakistan) had started the war through intrusion," he said. "And, at that point of time, Pakistan was heavily dependent on Americans, and the Bill Clinton administration had turned the screws on them. So, as a show of goodwill gesture, Pakistan decided to release our pilot," he said.

Pakistan had wanted to make "a media spectacle" of the release, the former diplomat said, adding, "I insisted that the release had to be in accordance to the Geneva Convention, which Pakistan agreed to."

On the ongoing situation at the India-Pakistan border, Parthasarathy said that with the United States, France, and the United Kingdom moving a fresh proposal in the United Nations Security Council to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, it's a "diplomatic win" for India.

"The international recognition acted in a measured manner and is a positive. Obviously, no one wants it to escalate beyond a point. So, the government will have to think over what needs to be done to respond to yesterday's provocation by Pakistan," he said.

-Sowmya Sangam

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