A video released by Pakistan on Wednesday evening purportedly shows captive Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, looking calm and composed and claiming he has been treated "very well" by the Pakistani army.
The video clip, released by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani armed forces, went viral on social media.
In it, Abhinandan says that he wanted "to bring this on record" that he has been treated well. The Pakistan army ‘s behaviour is "quite professional and impressive", he said.
"I would like to put this on record and I will not change my statement if I go back to my country also, the Pakistani army has looked after me very well and they are thorough gentlemen...," Abhinandan could be heard saying in the video.
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Outlook cannot vouch for the veracity of the video.
He also said he was thankful to the Pakistani army for saving him from a murderous mob after his MiG 21 Bison crashed in Pakistani territory.
A Pakistani army officer is heard in the background asking the IAF pilot about his mission on Wednesday. To which, Abhinandan stuck to his previous reply that he is not supposed to reveal any details.
Earlier, a video of Abhinandan, who was arrested in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after Pakistan shot down his fighter jet, was released by Pakistani authorities.
“My name is Wing commander Abhinandan. My service number is 27981. I am a flying pilot. My religion is Hindu,” the captured pilot revealed.
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Asked to speak more, he replied: "Sorry, Sir. That’s all I’m supposed to tell you."
The Pakistan Air Force shot down an Indian fighter jet inside Pakistani airspace on Wednesday morning.
"One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K [Azad Jammu and Kashmir] while [the] other fell inside IoK [Indian occupied Kashmir]," said Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
