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Friday March 29, 2024

Pakistan returned Abhinandan before ending ‘ultimatum’: Modi

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
April 22, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has talked of nuclear button of Pakistan and India in the middle of seven phase polls in his country and referred again attack on Balakot in February but for the first time he didn’t mention “killing of 350 while targeting a so-called camp.”

Modi addressed two public meetings on Sunday one in Rajasthan and other in his home province Gujarat.

In Gujarat rally Modi said he had warned Pakistan of consequences if it had not returned Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman. He took a jibe at NCP leader Sharad Pawar, saying if he is unaware of his next move, then how Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan can gauge what he will do. Following the air strike at Balakot camp in Pakistan, there was a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter planes on February 27 in which IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistan. Modi made ridiculous claim that before Abhinandan jet was hit, the IAF pilot downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan. He was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan.

Referring to it, Modi said after the pilot was caught, the opposition started seeking a reply from him over this. “We conducted a press conference and warned Pakistan that if anything happened to our pilot, you will keep telling the world that Modi did this to you,” he said. “A senior American official said on the second day that Modi has kept ready 12 missiles and might attack and the situation will deteriorate. Pakistan announced to return the pilot on the second day, else it was going to be a “qatal ki raat’,” Modi said. “This was said by America, I have nothing to say about this now, I will speak about it when the time will come,” he added.

In Rajhistan gathering he said that Congress government signed Simla agreement (in 1972) "under global pressure" and released over 90,000 Pakistan’s Prisoners of War (PoWs) instead of resolving the Kashmir dispute "in lieu of the PoWs." He said "Pak troops were in our custody. A big area of Pakistan was also captured by Indian forces during 1971 war but the Congress government lost it on table in Simla agreement and they were released."

Modi said that the Indian government crumbled under global pressure and signed the Simla agreement and the matter was closed. PoWs and the captured land were released. That was a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir dispute in lieu of the PoW," he said. He said that it was a trump card in the hands of the government but the chance was missed and the entire country is facing its result today.

Modi said it was the reason why Congress leaders do not want nationalism to be an issue. The statement from Modi came after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot in his recent election rallies highlighted that a new nation (Bangladesh) was created by dividing Pakistan by Indian armed forces during the rule of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1971.

Modi claimed that India is no more afraid of nuclear threats from Pakistan. "Otherwise, Pakistan used to give nuclear threats. What do we have? Have we kept it for 'Diwali.’? He maintained that Indian forces killed terrorists across the border without engaging in a war. He mentioned the fake surgical strike of September 2016 that couldn’t prove by any standard.

Modi said in February this year, the Indian Air Force struck at a camp in Balakot after an attack in Pulwama, which had left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Narendra Modi said that "India has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistan's threats. Every other day they used to say 'we have nuclear button; we have nuclear button'. What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali?"

He blamed the former Congress governments at the centre for not executing the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and said India's share of water flowed over to the Pakistan side due to the grand old party.