Police stand guard before the arrival of an Indian Air Force pilot, who was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday, near Wagah border, on the outskirts of the northern city of Amritsar, India, March 1, 2019. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said a downed Indian pilot will be handed over to Indian authorities later on Friday in an effort to de-escalate a crisis between the nuclear armed neighbours.

“As a gesture of peace and to de-escalate matters, the Indian pilot who is under arrest with us will be released today in the afternoon at the Wagah border,” Qureshi told parliament, referring to the border crossing near Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore.