Pakistan says unarmed Indian ‘supersonic missile’ fell on its territory

Islamabad, Mar 10 (EFE).- Pakistan’s military on Thursday said an Indian projectile, which it claimed was an unarmed “supersonic missile,” entered its airspace and fell in the southern Punjab region, causing some damage to the vicinity.

A spokesperson for Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the military, said no human casualties were reported.

“On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by the Air Defense Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF),” major general Babar Iftikhar said during a press conference in Rawalpindi.

“It was a supersonic flying object, most probably a missile, but it was certainly unarmed,” he said.

“From its initial course, the object suddenly maneuvered towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s airspace, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm,” he added.

The spokesman said “PAF continuously monitored the complete flying path of the object, from its point of origin near Sirsa in India to its point of impact, near Mian Channu.”

He said Pakistan strongly condemned “this flagrant violation and cautions against any such recurrence in future.”

Air vice marshal Tariq Zia, said the projectile was a surface to surface missile which was picked up at a high altitude of 40,000 feet (12,200 meters).

He added that the total distance it traveled into Pakistan airspace was 124km and that it remained over Pakistan’s territory for three minutes and 24 seconds.

Debris has been recovered and a forensic analysis of the object is being conducted, he added.

Babar said: “Whatever caused this incident, it is for India to explain.”

“Being a responsible nation we are not doing any provocation but there is lots of explanation that needs to be done (from India),” he added.

Zia said there were two airway routes active and several commercial airlines in the area when the object was detected.

“If you look at the speed and height of the projectile, it was 40,000 feet high, and the airlines were between 35,000 to 42,000 feet. This could have been very detrimental to the safety of passengers.”

He said one air route was 60km away and the other was 78km away from the path the object took.

He added one international flight was on one route and three domestic flights were on the second route.

aa/jt