Pakistan hands over captured Indian pilot

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - An Indian pilot who became the face of escalating conflict in South Asia was on Friday handed over to Indian authorities by Pakistan at the Wagah border crossing, officials and local media reported.

Wing Commander Abhinandan was held in Pakistan after his aircraft was downed on Wednesday in a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani jets along the disputed border with Kashmir.

A day later, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his release in a widely-hailed gesture of goodwill.

Tensions between the two nuclear armed-neighbors escalated following a suicide bombing in Indian-administered Kashmir in mid-February that left more than 40 Indian troops dead.

The attack was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM), a militant group that Pakistan has banned since 2002 but is accused by India of providing sanctuary to.

The two South Asian nations have fought three wars in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir -- since they were partitioned in 1947.