Pakistan alleged on Thursday that an unarmed Indian supersonic missile took out from Sirsa on Wednesday evening and landed 124 kilometres within Pakistani territory. According to the report, the missile was flying at 40,000 feet, endangering passenger flights in both Indian and Pakistani airspace, as well as civilians and property on the ground.
The Indian Air Force and the Ministry of Defence have yet to respond to Pakistan’s assertion.
Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director General, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistani Armed Forces, said at a press conference Thursday evening that at 1843 hours on March 9, “a high-speed flying object was picked up inside Indian flying territory by the Pakistani Air Force’s Air Defence Operations Centre.” The item abruptly changed course and crossed into Pakistani territory, violating Pakistani airspace before landing near Mia Channu.”
There were no human casualties in this incident. The Pakistan military said that while there were no important sites in the area where it hit, a wall did fall.
According to a 2005 agreement between India and Pakistan on pre-notification of ballistic missile flight tests, each country must warn the other at least three days ahead of the flight test it wishes to conduct, whether it is for surface-to-surface, land-based, or sea-based missiles. It goes on to say that launch locations should be at least 40 kilometres from the International Boundary or the Line of Control, and the targeted impact area should be at least 75 kilometres away.
The Pakistani Air Force has “started essential tactical steps in compliance” with the Standard Operating Procedures, according to Major General Iftikhar.
“The Indians must explain themselves as to what triggered this episode,” he said. “Pakistan firmly condemns this egregious infringement and strongly warns against a repeat of such an incident in the future,” he said.
The item “was picked up at a high-altitude of 40,000 feet and was going at a speeding axis of Mach 2.5 and eventually Mach 3,” according to Pakistan Air Force spokesperson Tariq Zia. According to him, the total distance it travelled within Pakistan was 124 kilometres, and it remained on Pakistani territory for 3 minutes and 44 seconds from the time it took to land, which was 6 minutes and 46 seconds.
“Based on the debris we’ve retrieved so far, we believe it was a supersonic, unarmed missile.” “Details will be forthcoming,” he stated.
