Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan on Friday summoned India’s Charge d’Affaires here and conveyed its strong protest over the alleged unprovoked violation of its airspace by an Indian-origin “super-sonic flying object” while as India regretted saying the missile was fired “accidentally” due to a technical malfunction.
The Indian diplomat who was summoned to the Foreign Office was told about the alleged violation of its airspace by an Indian-origin “super-sonic flying object” which entered into Pakistan from Suratgarh in India at 6:43 PM (local time) on March 09, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
The object later fell on the ground near Mian Chunnu city in Pakistan’s Punjab province at around 6:50 PM on the same day, causing damage to civilian property.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also voiced concern over the incident.
Air Vice Marshall Tariq Zia, who addressed a press conference on Thursday, said that at the time the projectile was picked up by the Pakistani military, there were two active airway routes and several commercial airlines were in the area.
“If you look at the speed and height of the projectile, it was 40,000 feet high, and the airlines were between 35,000 to 42,000 feet. This could have been very detrimental to the safety of passengers.”
The projectile travelled 124 kilometres inside Pakistani territory in three minutes and 44 seconds, he added.
Pakistan also asked India for a thorough and transparent investigation of the incident, the outcome of which must be shared with it.
Meanwhile, India on Friday said a missile that landed in Pakistan two days back was fired “accidentally” due to a technical malfunction and it was “deeply regrettable”.
The defence ministry also announced ordering a ‘Court of Enquiry’ into the incident.
“On March 09, in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. The government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry,” the defence ministry said in a statement.
“It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” it said.
People familiar with the matter said the probe team will investigate all possible aspects of the incident.
Though Indian officials did not specify the name of the missile, the description given by the Pakistan military indicated that it could be a Brahmos missile. However, there is no confirmation of it yet.
