'Could Have Responded, Observed Restraint': PM Imran on Indian Missile in Pak
An unarmed Indian super sonic missile had entered Pakistan's territory on 9 March.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
(Photo: PTI / Altered by The Quint)
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday, 13 March, said the country could have responded to India after its unarmed missile "accidently" landed in Pakistan's Punjab province on Wednesday, 9 March, however, it chose to observe restraint, news agency PTI reported.
An unarmed Indian super sonic missile had entered Pakistan's territory on 9 March, causing damage to the country's civilian property. The object had later hit a private cold storage property near Mian Channu city in the Punjab province. The accident however did not lead to any loss of life.
'We Have to Make Our Defence and Country Strong'
Addressing a public rally in Hafizabad, Punjab on Sunday, in the wake of no confidence motion moved against him by joint Opposition, PM Khan said, "We could have responded after an Indian missile fell in Mian Channu but we observed restraint," reported news agency PTI. Khan further said, "we have to make our defence and country strong."
This was the first time the Prime Minister spoke on the incident.
It also questioned as to why India failed to inform Pakistan regarding the "accidental launch" of the missile immediately and demanded to know information regarding the safegaurds that are in place in India to prevent such accidents.
"Pakistan has proposed to New Delhi a joint probe into the incident to establish facts since the missile had landed into Pakistani territory," Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said as per news agency PTI.
India's Defence Ministry on Friday, 11 March claimed that the missile was 'accidentally fired' after a technical malfunction during the course of a routine maintenance. It further added that a high level court of enquiry has been ordered to probe the incident.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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