(Sky News)
Ajay Nair February 28, 2019
The Indian pilot shot down and captured by Pakistani forces this week will be released tomorrow, Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan says.
"As a peace gesture we will be releasing him tomorrow," Mr Khan told parliament in Islamabad.
Earlier, Pakistan's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told Pakistani broadcaster Geo TV Islamabad was "willing to return the captured Indian pilot if it leads to de-escalation" on Thursday.
It comes after members of India's ruling Bharitiya Janata Party called for more military action, suggesting tensions with Pakistan could escalate.
India and Pakistan had exchanged gunfire through the night in the disputed Kashmir region, a day after Pakistan said it shot down two Indian warplanes and captured Abhinandan Varthaman.
There were no immediate reports of casualties despite fighter jets flying over the region as villagers along the line of control - a de facto border in Kashmir - fled to safety.
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