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Indian SSM: Pakistan wants probe

ISLAMABAD: Moeed Yusuf, The National Security Advisor, in a video message on Friday (11th of March, 2022) had called for a global probe into landing of an Indian cruise missile inside Pakistan. 

He pointed out that the Indian government did not bother to inform Pakistan about the firing of missile that could have claimed human lives. He further claimed that India only accepted that the missile was theirs when Pakistan made the details public.

The Advisor asked how could India safely handle its nuclear installations when its defense personnel could not manage a cruise missile.

Earlier, Indian Defense Ministry, claiming that the Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) that entered Pakistan accidentally, regretted the incident.

According to the Ministry of Defense  the SSM was fired due to technical malfunction: “On 9 March 2022, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan…The government has taken serious view and ordered a high-level court of inquiry.”

The Ministry of Defense also stated that it was a matter of relief that there had been no loss of life. It may be recalled that DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar had informed Thursday that a Surface-to-Surface (SSM) Super-Sonic (unarmed) Missile, fired from Indian side, had landed near Mian Channu (Khanewal) area inside Pakistan on Wednesday 9th of March, 2022 only damaging a wall sans causing any harm to citoyens.

“On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

“From its initial course, the object suddenly maneuvered towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm,” DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar stated.

DG ISPR, while talking to journalists at a Presser held here on Thursday  (10th of March, 2022) informed that the Missile’s flight originated near Sirsa (some 100 km inside from the Indian border) and was detected by PAF right then.

He told that the flight-path of the Surface-to-Surface Missile was monitored right from the launch till its point of impact inside Pakistan after 3 minutes and 24 seconds after cruising 260kms.

Major General Babar Iftikhar, pointing out that the missile did not pass through any sensitive area, said: “It is important to highlight that the flight path of this object endangered many international and domestic passenger flights – both in Indian and Pakistani air space – as well as human life and property on ground.”

Holding that the incident posed questions on the efficiency of Indian missile technology, DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar insinuated that the SSM episode was an error and not an act of aggression.

Stating that such tests and trials were carried out in routine he noted that it raised questions on the human resource working on such matters: “Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain.

“It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency.”

Newspakistan.tv | YouTube Channel

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.