The Indian Defence Ministry on Friday, 11 March said that it has ordered a court of enquiry after an unarmed Indian missile violated Pakistani airspace.
"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," the statement read, ANI reported.
The Union Defence Ministry claimed further that the missile was 'accidentally fired' after a technical malfunction during the course of a routine maintenance.
What Had Happened?
Pakistan, earlier on Friday had claimed that an unarmed Indian missile landed on its soil, after which the country summoned the Indian Charge d’Affaires over alleged violation of its airspace.
The Indian diplomat, on Thursday night, 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 9 March, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
However, the object was "certainly unarmed,' as per an official from the Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF).
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 the civilian property, news agency PTI reported.
Addressing a press conference, Major General Iftikhar of the PAF said,
At 6.43 p.m., a high-speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by the Air Defence Operation Centre of the Pakistan Air Force [PAF]. From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards the Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s airspace ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6.50 p.m..When it fell it also damaged some civilian property. Thankfully no loss or injury to human life was caused.
Further, Pakistan asked India for a thorough and transparent investigation of the incident, and to keep it in loop about the outcome of the probe.
As per the general, the PAF was constantly monitoring the complete flight path of the flying object from its point of origin near Sirsa in India to its fall near Mian Channu.
Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Tariq Zia, meanwhile said, "The total time from pick up till its impact on the ground was 6 minutes and 46 seconds. However, the time it stayed in the Pakistani territory was for 3 minutes and 44 seconds," The Hindu reported.
(With inputs from The Hindu and PTI.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)