ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on a missile India said it accidentally fired into Pakistan’s territory, Radio Pakistan reported.
Last Friday, India said it had accidentally fired the missile into Pakistan because of a “technical malfunction” during routine maintenance, giving its version of events after Pakistan warned New Delhi of “unpleasant consequences.”
In a phone conversation with Guterres, Qureshi emphasised the incident was a flagrant breach of Pakistan’s airspace, demonstrating India’s contempt for aviation safety and regional peace and security.
Pakistan continues to act with moderation and responsibility, the foreign minister said.
He reiterated Pakistan’s call for a joint investigation into the launch, citing flaws and technological errors in India’s management of her strategic weapons.
The episode, according to Qureshi, is consistent with India’s irresponsible behaviour and must be handled by the international community, particularly the Security Council.
In a press briefing, Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar, director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said the missile was unarmed and had crashed near the city of Mian Channu.
Military experts have in the past warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculations by the nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars and engaged in numerous smaller armed clashes, usually over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
Tensions have eased in recent months, and the incident, which may have been the first of its kind, immediately raised questions about safety mechanisms.
The Foreign Office summoned India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad to lodge a protest over the unprovoked violation of Pakistan’s airspace, saying the incident could have endangered passenger flights and civilian lives.
Pakistan warned India “to be mindful of the unpleasant consequences of such negligence and take effective measures to avoid the recurrence of such violations in future”.
Asked to comment, a spokesperson for the US State Department said: “The Department has no indication that this incident was anything other than an accident, and we refer you to the Indian Ministry of Defence for any follow-up to their statement on the matter.”
— With input from Reuters
