Reviving Abinandan controversy

The PML-N continues its onslaught on state institutions and has created an unnecessary fiasco by raising the matter regarding the release of Indian wing commander Abinandan.

This time around it’s not the party supremo but former National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who makes the bizarre statement that the government got jitters before releasing the Indian pilot. He claimed that the foreign minister had “his legs shaking and sweat on the forehead” as he pleaded to release the pilot fearing an imminent Indian airstrike.

Such a statement was likely to be used by the hyper-sensationalist media against Pakistan. Ayaz Sadiq targeted the prime minister for not coming to meeting of parliamentary leaders even though the army chief was present. He was eventually forced to retract his statement saying that he was misquoted by the Indian media but what prompted him to revive the matter remains unanswered.

In February 2019, India received a humbling when it violated Pakistani airspace, and its fighter aircraft was shot down and Abinandan was captured. Both countries were on the brink of war but Pakistan decided to immediately release him as a peace gesture and the situation settled. This was welcomed by world power and experts for diffusing the heightened tension between the two countries.

In their quest to bring down Imran Khan’s government, the PML-N had taken the dangerous route of openly lashing out at state institutions and may even expose classified material that can threaten national security. The foreign minister said the PML-N leader’s statement was contrary to reality meant for political mileage and completely unexpected.

The army also responded to correct the record and expressed disappointment over attempts to link the Indian pilot’s release to “anything other than a responsible state’s mature response.” Although the army spokesman didn’t mention any names, it was a clear response to the statement attempting to “distort the history of issues associated with national security.”

An attempt is being made to make revisit the matter and make the issue of Abinandan’s release controversial for no reason after more than a year. It was a befitting reply to Indian adventurism on which the nation was united but now the PML-N had stirred another controversy. The PML-N is one of the largest parties and should act more maturely knowing well that our rival will use it against us.