The whole India is celebrating the return of IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthmaan, after being captured by the Pakistan Army. Hailing the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s move many Indians have thanked him in their messages on social media.
Shobha De a noted Indian columnist and novelist tweeted, “Thank you people of Pakistan for sending our hero back to us. Well done @ImranKhanPTI Welcome home Abhinandan Varthmaan. #SayNoToWar”
Thank you people of Pakistan for sending our hero back to us.
Well done @ImranKhanPTI
Welcome home Abhinandan Varthmaan. #SayNoToWar— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) February 28, 2019
Former India batsman Navjot Singh Sidhu had also hailed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement. In his typical style he tweeted tagging Imran Khan, “@ImranKhanPTI Every noble act makes a way for itself… your goodwill gesture is ‘a cup of joy’ for a billion people, a nation rejoices… I am overjoyed for his parents and loved ones”
@ImranKhanPTI Every noble act makes a way for itself… your goodwill gesture is ‘a cup of joy’ for a billion people, a nation rejoices…
I am overjoyed for his parents and loved ones.— Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) February 28, 2019
Journalists such as Sagarika Ghose and Rajdeep Sardesai declared it a diplomatic victory for Imran Khan.
Sagarika Ghose tweeted, “With apologies & respect to Modiji, but today he has been outdone and outshone in diplomacy, war strategy and public outreach by a swashbuckling cricket captain @ImranKhanPTI”
With apologies & respect to Modiji, but today he has been outdone and outshone in diplomacy, war strategy and public outreach by a swashbuckling cricket captain @ImranKhanPTI
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) February 28, 2019
Rajdeep Sardesai in his tweet said, “We in India may not like this, but in terms of pure optics, @ImranKhanPTI at the moment is winning the day by taking the moral high ground .. we have a strong case on terror but too many of our leaders busy calculating votes at the moment..”
We in India may not like this, but in terms of pure optics, @ImranKhanPTI at the moment is winning the day by taking the moral high ground .. we have a strong case on terror but too many of our leaders busy calculating votes at the moment..
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 28, 2019
Socio-political activist and columnist, Sudheendra Kulkarni tweeted “We Indians should give credit where credit is due. #Pakistan PM @ImranKhanPTI deserves our appreciation for quick return of Wing Cdr #Abhinandhan. His is indeed a gesture of #Peace. Now he shd quickly act against terrorist #JeM” I said on @TimesNow @RShivshankar #SayNoToWar
"We Indians should give credit where credit is due. #Pakistan PM @ImranKhanPTI deserves our appreciation for quick return of Wing Cdr #Abhinandhan. His is indeed a gesture of #Peace.
Now he shd quickly act against terrorist #JeM"
I said on @TimesNow @RShivshankar#SayNoToWar
— Sudheendra Kulkarni (@SudheenKulkarni) March 1, 2019
Welcoming the goodwill gesture, noted journalist Barkha Dutt tweeted, “I think we should welcome this gesture from @ImranKhanPTI on the release of #Abhinandan. The door for deescalation has been opened. And this is really not the time for dumb and needless gloating by tv anchors”
I think we should welcome this gesture from @ImranKhanPTI on the release of #Abhinandan. The door for deescalation has been opened. And this is really not the time for dumb and needless gloating by tv anchors
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 28, 2019
Krishan Partap Singh, author of the Raisina Series, a trilogy of political novels, in his tweet said, “Never seen a Pakistani PM so outplay an Indian PM so completely.”
Never seen a Pakistani PM so outplay an Indian PM so completely.
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) February 28, 2019