The government of Pakistan is yet to take a final decision on repatriating Indian soldier Chandu Chavan who had crossed over into Pakistan after India’s surgical strikes.
According to a report in Dawn, Pakistan has acknowledged that Chandu Chavan crossed over the LoC inadvertently but it has not taken any decision on handing him back to India as investigations are still continuing.
“The Indian soldier, who inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan, is still being investigated,” a senior Pakistani official was quoted as saying by Dawn.
“No decision about handing him back to India has been taken yet, as investigations are [still] continuing,” he added.
Pakistan Army has kept changing its position on Chandu Chavan since his arrest last year.
Chandu Chavan had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) on the night India carried out the surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, the then military spokesman, , initially denied his capture, but a day later he said that verification and authentication procedures were being carried out in his case.
India’s Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre had said on Thursday that Pakistan had confirmed that the soldier was alive and that he could be released soon.
"They (Pakistan) have admitted that Chandu Chavan is alive and that they will soon release him after inquiry, which is nearing completion," Bhamre said, after the launch of second Scorpene class submarine Khanderi at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in south Mumbai.
