MEA to brief Parliamentary panel on Indo-Pak relations post Pulwama terror attack

New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs will be briefed on the current Indo-Pak relations by the foreign affairs ministry on Friday. The committee headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will meet in Parliament House this afternoon. 

The briefing will be on the present Indo-Pak relations in the light of the recent strain in the relationship after the Pulwama attack and an air strike by India, officials said. The committee will also be briefed on the "new regime" in Pakistan led by Prime Minister Imran Khan and its relationship with India in light of the recent developments, they said. 

"The parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs will receive a briefing from the MEA on the current situation with Pakistan..." Tharoor tweeted earlier.

Meanwhile, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan after his jet went down following a strike by an enemy missile, will be coming back to India on Friday. His MiG 21 was shot and he bailed out after bringing down one Pakistani F-16 fighter during a dogfight to repel a Pakistani attack on Wednesday morning. He has been in Pakistan since then. 

The Pakistan Prime Minister had announced in Parliament on Thursday that Wing Commander Abhinandan would be released on Friday as a "peace gesture".

Tensions between the two countries escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan early Tuesday. It came 12 days after the JeM claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.