India’s Misfired Missile: Peeved Pakistan Raises Many Questions, Demands Joint Probe

Picture courtesy Reuters

Islamabad: The Pakistani government demanded a joint probe into a misfired Indian missile which landed across the border on the evening of March 9.

India on Friday did acknowledge the accidental firing of a missile due to a ‘technical malfunction’ and also announced a high-level inquiry.

However, that hasn’t satisfied Pakistan and it sought several questions and demanded a thorough joint investigation to establish facts.

“We have 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 9 March 2022 due to ‘technical malfunction’ and decision to hold an internal Court of Inquiry,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release.

But, it added, the “grave nature of the incident raises several fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against accidental or unauthorized launch of missiles in a nuclearized environment… such a serious matter cannot be addressed with the simplistic explanation proffered by the Indian authorities.”

Seeking an explanation on type and specifications of the missile as well as its flight path/trajectory, Pakistan’s Foreign ministry said: “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?”

Describing it as a “profound level of incompetence”, Pakistan called upon India to explain if the missile was indeed handled by its armed forces or some “rogue elements.”