Pakistan demands joint probe into missile incident

It raises many fundamental questions ‘in a nuclearised environment’, says Islamabad

Stating that the incident involving the accidental firing of a missile which ended up in Pakistan indicates many “loopholes and technical lapses” of serious nature in “Indian handling of strategic weapons”, Pakistan on Saturday demanded a joint probe to “accurately establish the facts” on it.

“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,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Pakistan said in a statement.

Also read | Technical malfunction led to accidental firing of missile, India tells Pakistan

“The grave nature of the incident raises several fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against accidental or unauthorised launch of missiles in a nuclearised environment.”

Stating that they took note of the statement from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the MoFA said such a serious matter cannot be addressed with the simplistic explanation offered by the Indian authorities.

A day after Pakistan made a detailed presentation that an Indian supersonic surface–to–surface missile landed 124 km inside its territory, the MoD on Friday said that in the course of a routine maintenance on March 9, a “technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile” and the Government of India has taken a “serious view” and has ordered a high–level Court of Inquiry.

On the missile landing in Pakistan, the MoD said the incident is “deeply regrettable” but it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due.