Releasing IAF Pilot Abhinandan No Step Towards Peace: Heena Sidhu

The Indian shooter says the release of the captured IAF pilot is no act of de-escalation in the Indo-Pak stand-off.

Escalating tensions between India and Pakistan may be somewhat eased by the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Friday, 1 March, but Indian shooter Heena Sidhu believes Pakistan’s step is “not an act of de-escalation”.

Indian Air Force pilot Varthaman is expected to be released after being taken into Pakistan’s custody following the crash of an Indian MiG-21 Bison on Pakistan soil.

2018 Commonwealth Games champion Sidhu, however, reckons we haven’t seen the last of the ongoing India-Pakistan stand-off, a sentiment she voiced on Twitter.

“Sending a PoW back is not an act of de-escalation or a step towards peace as some stupid media people are saying.”

Heena Sidhu

The 29-year-old, in fact, even went on to suggest that a real act towards improved relations across the border would have been the release of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, while asking for a heroes welcome for the IAF pilot.

“If our ‘loving’ neighbours had sent JeM chief, Masood Azhar, that would have been it (a step towards peace). Let’s welcome our hero Abhinandan, but don’t see it getting over yet.”

Heena Sidhu

Sidhu was recently in action at the ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, where she missed out on qualification in both her events – the 10m Air Pistol individual and mixed team categories.