‘Unsatisfactory and inadequate’ – Pakistan rejects Indian probe into missile firing incident

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan categorically rejected India’s purported closure of investigation into the highly irresponsible firing of a rogue supersonic missile into Pakistani territory and reiterated its demand for a joint probe.

“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 Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar in a statement on Wednesday.

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, he said.

India has not only failed to respond to Pakistan’s demand for a joint inquiry but has also evaded the questions raised by Pakistan regarding the command and control system in place in India, the safety and security protocols and the reason for India’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 statement read.

The imprudent Indian action of March 9, 2022 had jeopardized 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.

Pakistan reiterated its demand that the Indian government must immediately provide specific responses to the queries raised by Pakistan after the incident and accedes to its call for a joint probe.