Could have responded to India after missile landed in Pakistan, but exercised restraint: PM Imran Khan
Highlight
- Imran Khan said on Sunday that Pakistan could have responded to India after the missile landed in the country.
- On 9 March, an unarmed Indian supersonic missile entered Pakistani territory.
- It put several airliners in danger during their flight before hitting a private property.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday that Pakistan could have responded to India after the missile landed in his country’s Punjab province, but he exercised restraint.
On 9 March, an unarmed Indian supersonic missile entered Pakistani territory, endangering several aircraft during its flight before hitting a private property (cold storage) near Mian Channu, about 275 km from Lahore. There is no report of damage to property.
Speaking for the first time on the incident, Prime Minister Khan said, “We could have retaliated after an Indian missile hit Mian Channu but we kept our restraint.” He was addressing a public meeting in Punjab’s Hafizabad district on Sunday afternoon to protest against the no-confidence motion moved against him by the United Opposition.
Khan also talked about the country’s defense preparedness, saying, “We have to make our defense and the country strong.” Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Saturday that it was not satisfied with India’s “simple explanation” on the “accidental firing” of a missile in Pakistan’s Punjab province and needed to establish accurately the facts surrounding the incident. demanded a joint inquiry.
“Pakistan has proposed to New Delhi a joint investigation to establish the facts as the missile landed in Pakistani territory,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) said. Raised questions about Indian security measures against missiles and such incidents.
“Pakistan demands a joint inquiry to accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident,” the FO said.
India claimed that the missile was accidentally fired during a routine maintenance operation due to a technical snag and said a “high-level inquiry” has been ordered into the incident.