Pakistan rejects Indian missile probe, reiterates joint investigation

Pakistan on Wednesday rejected findings of the Indian inquiry into the firing of a supersonic missile into its territory, terming it “totally unsatisfactory, deficient and inadequate”.

India on Tuesday said it sacked three air force officers for deviating from standard operating procedures that had led to the accidental firing of missile into Pakistan on March 9. Although there was no loss reported on the ground but the incident could have potentially triggered an accidental war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan was praised for its mature response that had prevented any escalation. Nevertheless Pakistan took strong note of the incident and raised the issue at all internal fora as well as demanded a joint probe.

India while admitting the mistake went ahead with the unilateral probe and now found three air force officers guilty of the incident.

"We have seen India’s announcement of the findings of an internal Court of Inquiry regarding the incident of firing of a rogue supersonic missile into Pakistani territory on 9 March, 2022 and the decision to terminate the services of three Indian Air Force (IAF) officers reportedly found responsible for the reckless incident," said a foreign office statement issued here a day after the Indian announcement.

Also read: India fires three officers over missile fiasco

It said Pakistan categorically rejected India’s purported closure of the highly irresponsible incident and reiterates its demand for a joint probe.

"As expected, the measures taken by India in the aftermath of the incident and the subsequent findings and punishments handed by the so-called internal Court of Inquiry are totally unsatisfactory, deficient and inadequate," the statement added.

The foreign  office said India had not only failed to respond to Pakistan's demand for a joint inquiry but had also evaded the questions raised by Pakistan regarding the command and control system in place in the country, the safety and security protocols and the reason for Delhi’s delayed admission of the missile launch.

"Systemic loopholes and technical lapses of serious nature in handling of strategic weapons cannot be covered up beneath the veneer of individual human error. If indeed India has nothing to hide then it must accept Pakistan’s demand for a joint probe in the spirit of transparency."

The imprudent Indian action of March 9, 2022 had jeopardised the peace and security environment of the entire region. "Pakistan’s demonstration of exemplary restraint is a testament of our systemic maturity and abiding commitment to peace as a responsible nuclear state," the statement noted.

Islamabad reiterated its demand that the Indian government must immediately provide specific responses to its queries with regards to the incident and accedes to its call for a joint probe.