Pakistan reiterates call for joint probe on India's firing of supersonic missile into Pakistan

Islamabad Police personnel standing outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday rejected India's purported closure of a  "highly irresponsible incident" during which a supersonic missile was fired into Pakistan's territory this year on March 9. According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan has reiterated 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, and the decision to terminate the services of three Indian Air Force (IAF) officers reportedly found responsible for the reckless incident," statement by the FO read. FO further stated that the measures taken by India in the aftermath of the incident, in addition to the subsequent findings and punishments handed by the "so-called internal Court of Inquiry" are totally "unsatisfactory, deficient and inadequate".
The ministry's statement added that 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 its command and control system, 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," the statement read, demanding India for a joint probe in the spirit of transparency — particularly if it has "nothing to hide". The FO asserted that the imprudent Indian action of March 9, jeopardized regional peace and security, and that Pakistan’s demonstration of exemplary restraint is a testament of the country's systemic maturity and abiding commitment to peace as a responsible nuclear state. "Pakistan reiterates 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," the statement read.

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