Imran Khan to release Pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, media sees it as Modi’s ‘win’ and Pakistan’s ‘defeat’
Minutes after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Wing Commander Abhinandan, the pilot held in Pakistani custody, would be released tomorrow as a “peace gesture”, the media went into overdrive to cover it. However, a section of the media also fell over themselves in congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this exemplary “win”.
Support Independent Media
The media must be free and fair, uninfluenced by corporate or state interests. That's why you, the public, need to pay to keep news free.
ContributeRepublic, unsurprisingly, was at the forefront, saying Pakistan had “crumbled under unprecedented pressure”. Republic also said Khan’s attempts to “beg India to come to the negotiating table utterly failed, leaving Pakistan with no escape route”.
On Republic’s soul sister Times Now, anchor Rahul Shivshankar shouted “Pakistan has surrendered”, telling Imran Khan he had “cracked under pressure” and that India would not “compromise with blackmail”.
They weren’t the only ones.
Meanwhile Titanic is trending in India:
Power NL-TNM Election Fund
General elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together to focus on the issues that really matter to the voter. From political funding to battleground states, media coverage to 10 years of Modi, choose a project you would like to support and power our journalism.
Ground reportage is central to public interest journalism. Only readers like you can make it possible. Will you?