Joint press conference by Army, Air Force and Navy postponed to 7 pm

The three service chiefs (the Indian Navy, Army and Air Force) have postponed their joint press conference to 7 pm. The press briefing was earlier scheduled for 5 PM. "Joint press briefing by Army, Navy and Air Force in New Delhi that was scheduled for 5 pm today has been postponed to 7 pm," tweeted ANI.

The development comes immediately after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that they would release captive Indian Air Force pilot on Friday as a 'peace gesture'. He was speaking in Pakistan Parliament.

The announcement during a joint session of Parliament came barely an hour after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Prime Minister Khan is ready to talk to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions.

As the opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif took the floor of the House, Prime Minister Khan apologised for interrupting and said he wishes to announce that the Indian pilot captured by Pakistan Air Force on Wednesday will be released Friday as a "peace gesture".

The announcement was greeted by thumping of desks by Pakistani lawmakers. Earlier, Qureshi said that Pakistan is willing to consider returning the captured IAF pilot if it leads to "de-escalation" of tensions with India.

Pakistan detained IAF pilot following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control when his MiG 21 fighter jet was downed. Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said that the Indian Air Force pilot was safe and sound.

India Wednesday summoned the acting high commissioner of Pakistan and demanded immediate and safe return of the IAF pilot who was detained by Pakistan following an aerial engagement by air forces of the two countries.