Pakistan Demands Joint Investigation Into 'accidental' Missile Attack On India

People work on what Pakistani security sources say are the remnants of a missile fired at Pakistan from India, near Mian Channu, Pakistan, on March 9, 2022. The photo was taken on March 9, 2022.

ISLAMABAD, March 12 – Pakistan on Saturday demanded a joint investigation into a missile that India claimed was accidentally fired at its territory, rejecting New Delhi’s decision to conduct an internal investigation into the incident and calling on the international community to play its part.

“Such a serious issue cannot be resolved with the simplistic explanation offered by the Indian authorities,” the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Pakistan requires a joint investigation to establish the exact facts related to the incident,” the agency added.

India said Friday that it accidentally fired a missile at Pakistan this week due to a “technical malfunction” during routine maintenance, offering its version of events after Pakistan warned New Delhi of “unpleasant consequences”.

The international community has a “due role to play in promoting stability in the nuclear environment,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement warning of “terrible consequences” if any misinterpretation by one side escalates.

Military experts have warned in the past of the risk of accidents or miscalculations by nuclear-armed neighbors who have fought three wars and engaged in numerous smaller armed clashes, usually over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Tensions have eased in recent months and the incident, which may have been the first of its kind, immediately raised questions about security arrangements.

Pakistan has demanded clarification from India regarding its security mechanism to prevent accidental missile launches and whether it has been properly handled by its armed forces.

According to the US-based Arms Control Association, the missile has a range of 300 km (186 miles) to 500 km (310 miles), allowing it to hit Islamabad from a launch pad in northern India.

Reporting by Asif Shahzad; Editing by Clelia Oziel

Our Standards: Trust Principles.