Pakistan's ICC World Cup ad mocks Wing Commander Abhinandan, netizens vent their ire

New Delhi: Ahead of the much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan at the ICC World Cup 2019 on June 16, an advertisement aired by a Pakistani channel has drawn the ire of netizens for mocking Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman's capture after his plane was shot down a day after the IAF struck terror camps in Balakot.

Imitating the video of IAF officer Abhinandan released by the Pakistani military after he was captured, the ad by Pakistan's Jazz TV shows a man donning a blue jersey and looking similar to the fighter pilot with his trademark mustache.

The man, bearing an astounding resemblance to Abhinandan, repeats the IAF pilot's viral statement, "I’m sorry, I am not supposed to tell you this” when he is asked to comment on sharing his game strategy after winning the toss. 

Here's the video:

Jazz TV advt on #CWC19 takes the Indo-Pak air duel to new level. It uses the air duel over Nowshera and Wing Co Abhinandan Varthaman's issue as a prop. @IAF_MCC @thetribunechd @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/30v4H6MOpU — Ajay Banerjee (@ajaynewsman) June 11, 2019

While Abhinandan took the rigorous grinding by the Pakistani armed forces courageously and with a smile on his face, the man in the video looks terrified of the person asking him questions in the World Cup ad.

The ad not only touched upon a sensitive issue like Indo-Pak aerial duel that gave rise to diplomatic tensions between the two countries but also had racist overtones.

Wing Commander Abhinandan's plane was downed when IAF jets foiled an attempt by Pakistan Air Force to target Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27, a day after New Delhi had conducted counter-terror operations in Pakistan’s Balakot. He bailed out of the aircraft but drifted to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where he was detained by the Pakistan Army. He was set free as part of the 'goodwill gesture' by the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.