Pakistan on Saturday said that the grave nature of India’s accidental firing of a missile has raised several fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against the accidental or unauthorised launch of missiles in a nuclearized environment.
In a press release, the Foreign Office spokesperson said: “The Indian decision to hold an internal court of inquiry is not sufficient since the missile ended up in Pakistani territory. Pakistan demands a joint probe to accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident.”
He said that the whole incident indicates many loopholes and technical lapses of serious nature in India’s handling of the strategic weapons.
“Pakistan, therefore, calls upon the international community to take serious notice of this incident of grave nature in a nuclearized environment and play its due role in promoting strategic stability in the region,” he said.
The spokesperson said that Pakistan has taken note of the press statement by the Indian Press Information Bureau’s Defence Wing, regretting the “accidental firing” of the Indian origin missile into Pakistani territory on March 9 due to “technical malfunction” and announcing a decision to hold an internal court of inquiry.
“Given the short distances and response times, any misinterpretation by the other side could lead to countermeasures in self-defence with grave consequences,” he added.
The spokesperson demanded explanation from the Indian side over certain questions arising out of the grave incident. He said such a serious matter cannot be addressed with the simplistic explanation offered by the Indian authorities, adding that some of the questions that need to be answered include:
• India must explain the measures and procedures in place to prevent accidental missile launches and the particular circumstances of this incident.
• India needs to clearly explain the type and specifications of the missile that fell in Pakistani territory.
• India also needs to explain the flight path/ trajectory of the accidentally launched missile and how it ultimately turned and entered Pakistan?
• Was the missile equipped with self-destruct mechanism? Why did it fail to actualize?
• Are Indian missiles kept primed for launch even under routine maintenance?
• Why did India fail to immediately inform Pakistan about the accidental launch of the missile and waited to acknowledge it till after Pakistan announced the incident and sought clarification?
• Given the profound level of incompetence, India needs to explain if the missile was indeed handled by its armed forces or some rogue elements?
Earlier on Friday, the Indian defence ministry, in a statement, had said: “On March 9, 2022, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile.”
“The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry,” it had added.
“It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” it had further said.
