Capt. Amarinder Singh won't be going to Wagah

Wagah, Mar 1: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh won't be going to Wagah to receive the Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman on Friday.

CM Amarinder Singh, who yesterday offered to receive Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman when he returns home from captivity in Pakistan, told NDTV he has not heard from the centre and won't be going to Wagah to receive the Indian Air Force pilot.

"Would love to go (to receive Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman ) but there's laid out protocol whenever anybody comes back like happened to Prisoners of war in '65 & '71, they had to first go for medical & then be debriefed. I think same process will be followed here, " the CM was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Earlier, he interacted with Army and BSF jawans at the Border Post in Dera Baba Nanak. "Such an amazing feeling to be where my heart belongs. We all stand by our soldiers at this time & are prepared to do all that is required in service to the nation, " said CM Amarinder Singh.

Pakistan agreed to release the Indian Air Force pilot - whose MiG-21 Bison was shot down two days ago in an air skirmish in which a Pakistani F-16 was also blown out of the sky by an Indian missile - in keeping with the spirit of the Geneva Convention that protects prisoners of war.