The segment left many in splits online as they couldn’t believe they featured the very same cup and saucer in Abhinandan Varthaman had tea in Pakistan.
It has been a year since Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistan Army on February 27, and the pilot is back in focus as Pakistan celebrated the event. The nation observed ‘Surprise Day’ to mark its attempted air strike on military installations in India’s Rajouri sector, but what has gone viral from the event is an interview with a man who claims to have served the downed IAF pilot a cup of tea.
Geo New Urdu journalist Hamid Mir met Anwar Ali, who is allegedly the man who made and served tea to Wing Commander Varthaman while he was being interrogated. In a clip released by Pakistan during his detention, the IAF pilot was seen drinking a cup of tea during his interrogation and also responded to a question saying it was very good.
Mir asked Ali what the IAF pilot had said after drinking the tea, and Ali claimed that Wing Commander Varthaman had praised the tea and thanked him.
Mir displayed a cup and saucer which he claimed was the same ones in which the IAF pilot was served tea. The journalist asked Ali how he felt about serving tea to an “enemy pilot”, to which the man replied, “Woh mehman tha (he was a guest)”.
Watch the video here:
This gentleman Anwar Ali made tea for Indian Air Force Pilot Wing Commander #abhinandan he told me “woh mehman tha” no bad words pic.twitter.com/KNby8Q2XpQ
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) February 26, 2020
While India had objected to the release of the videos of the IAF pilot in captivity since it violated international norms, the image of Wing Commander Varthaman went viral and his response to the questions from his interrogators (“I’m not supposed to tell you this.”) inspired social media posts.
Incidentally, the Pakistan Air Force has reportedly kept a wax statue of the IAF pilot, images and exhibits from his capture at its museum in Karachi. The cup and saucer in which he was served tea was stated to be one of the exhibits.
On social media, people cracked up over the report about the cup and saucer, but Ali’s reply about the IAF pilot being a guest won hearts.
Hamid Mir: Last time yeh cup kab dhoya tha aap ne?
Banda: Uss din se yeh cup dhula nehi kyu ke iss mein Abhinandan ne chai pi thi 🙄— Asma Ali Zain (@asmaalizain) February 27, 2020
What journalism, @HamidMirPAK!
If there is an #Oscar Award for journalists, then I recommend your name without thinking.— Kashmir in Pictures (@ProudyMuslim) February 27, 2020
Pakistani media now has content that is at its hilarious best. 🤣🤣🤣
— Kashipathiravi (@kashipathiravi) February 27, 2020
Damn…They are still in that tea… !!.😃
— Ashutosh Nandi (@Ashutosh_N_89) February 27, 2020
— Rohail Hafeez (@HafeezRohail) February 26, 2020
Never knew @HamidMirPAK is so talented that this had to be done😜😜😜. Next maybe he should try and talk to who washed the cup and so on….🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 journalism and jokers and happy viewers
— Rsp (@Rspgaddam) February 27, 2020
Reporter : Dusman Pilot
Tea Maker: Humare maihmanThis is the difference between common people and a reporter.
— LaZy BoNg 🐣 (@LazyBongNo1) February 27, 2020
Appreciate the intention of the tea maker. He called him his mehmaan.
— Batsman (@paaplet) February 27, 2020
This Tea man has Thousand times better thinking than both countries most of politicians & most of media
— Savage Mohan (@savagemohan) February 27, 2020
Like your tea, your words are very sweet.
Anwar Ali is an example of what perceptions of common people in Pakistan are towards India & Indians. But politics has it’s own game plans.
Abhinandan appreciated his tea in Pak, so cool.
— Trishala (@Trishal38807152) February 27, 2020
Hahaha very innocent 😇 way of talking on very big issue . Salaam to this man AAJZi. #Anwarali
— Mefroor Prince (@agha244) February 27, 2020
A day after the Indian Air Force struck a terror camp in Balakot deep inside Pakistan, Pakistan Air Force aircraft violated Indian airspace in J&K and attempted air strikes. However, they caused little damage on the ground as the bombs fell in uninhabited areas near military installations.
Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army after his MiG-21 Bison was shot down during a dogfight with Pakistani jets. Varthaman, who downed a Pakistani F-16 jet, was captured and returned home on March 1. While Pakistan has claimed it never used American F-16s in its attempted air strike, India presented parts of a fired AMRAAM missile which can only be fired from that aircraft as well as other evidence.
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