Putting war ethics at bay, Pakistan Air Force dishonoured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman by displaying his mannequin at a war museum with a tea mug kept at a shelf next to him.

A Pakistani journalist Anwar Lodhi has posted the picture of Abhinandan’s mannequin on Twitter. Along with it he wrote, “PAF has put mannequin of Abhi Nandhan on display in the museum. This would be a more interesting display if they can arrange a Cup of FANTASTIC tea in his hand.”

PAF has put mannequin of Abhi Nandhan on display in the museum. This would be a more interesting display, if it they can arrange a Cup of FANTASTIC tea in his hand. pic.twitter.com/ZKu9JKcrSQ — Anwar Lodhi (@AnwarLodhi) November 9, 2019

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan on February 27 during the Balakot Air Strike, was captured by Pakistan after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat. His own aircraft had been hit by a missile forcing him to eject from the fighter jet before it crashlanded in Pakistan.

After he was captured, Abhinandan Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general.

But Pakistan, during his captivity a video was released by PAF in February showing Varthaman holding a cup of tea while answering the questions posed by Pakistani captivators. He did not give any of the sensitive information and replied in the video, “The tea is fantastic, thank you.”

The video went viral at that time on social media and fetched him much praise. But in Pakistan, it is used in negative connotations and had been poked fun at in advertisements etc.

Abhinandan Varthaman was awarded the Vir Chakra gallantry medal, one of India’s top military honours, on Independence Day.

Abhinandan Varthaman became the first IAF pilot to shoot down an F-16 fighter jet during an aerial combat with the Pakistani Air Force.

Pakistani security forces released him to India around 60 hours later at the Wagah border following diplomatic pressure from India.

The Vir Chakra is the third highest wartime military award in India.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group JeM’s biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26 in retaliation to a terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14 in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for the suicide attack.