Dissatisfied with New Delhi’s explanation, Islamabad is seeking a joint investigation to pinpoint the facts surrounding the incident.
Pakistan says it has taken note of India’s statement on the “accidental Shooting” of a missile on its territory, demanding a joint investigation to “precisely establish the facts surrounding the incident”.
“The severity of the incident raises a number of fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against the accidental or unauthorized launch of missiles in a nuclearized environment,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday, adding that India must provide a clearer picture of the situation. circumstances that led to the firing of the missile.
“Why didn’t India immediately inform Pakistan of the accidental missile launch and wait to acknowledge it until after Pakistan announced the incident and sought clarification?”
Islamabad also asked New Delhi “to explain whether the missile was actually operated by its armed forces or by some rebel elements.”
Pakistani officials earlier said the missile was unarmed and crashed near the eastern city of Mian Channu, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the capital Islamabad.
New Delhi admitted on Friday that a technical malfunction in the course of routine maintenance on March 9 had resulted in the projectile firing.
“It is known that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a relief that no lives have been lost due to the accident,” the Indian Defense Ministry said in its statement.
The ministry said the government had “taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Inquiry”.
‘Highly irresponsible’
Pakistan’s national security adviser Moeed Yusuf said it was “highly irresponsible” for New Delhi not to immediately inform Islamabad of the unintentional missile launch.
“The actual circumstances surrounding this incident also need to be investigated to determine if this was an unintentional launch or something more intentional,” Yusuf said in a statement. Twitter.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on Friday summoned India’s chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to lodge a protest over what it called an unprovoked violation of its airspace, saying the incident could have endangered passenger flights and lives. civilians.
Military experts have warned in the past about the risk of accidents or miscalculations by neighbors with nukeswho have fought in three wars and have been involved in numerous minor 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 security mechanisms.
A senior Pakistani security official told the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity that the incident had raised the alarm and could have escalated into a “critical adverse situation”.
“The admission that it was a missile was very nonchalant,” he said. “What does this say about their safety mechanisms and the technical prowess of very dangerous weapons? The international community must watch this very closely.”
The official said it was possibly a BrahMos missile, a nuclear-capable land-attack cruise missile jointly developed by Russia and India. The two countries have yet to officially confirm the type of missile.
According to the US-based Arms Control Association, the missile’s range is between 300 km (186 miles) and 500 km (310 miles), making it capable of reaching Islamabad from a missile launch pad. North India.
The Pakistani official wondered if the incident meant that India had “missiles in positions ready to be launched and aimed at Pakistan, and that too without any safeguard of a command and control system.”