Army has nothing to do with politics
Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar on Thursday briefed the media on an Indian “high speed flying object” that fell in Mian Channu, Khanewal district on Wednesday night.
“It was a supersonic flying object, most probably a missile, but it was certainly unarmed,” he said. Earlier reports had suggested that a private aircraft had crashed in the area.
“On March 9, at 6:43pm, a high speed flying object was picked up inside the Indian territory by Air Defence Operations Centre of the Pakistan Air Force,” he began.
“From its initial course, the object suddenly manoeuvred towards Pakistani territory and violated Pakistan’s air space, ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50pm.”
“When it fell, it damaged civilian properties,” he said, adding no loss of life was reported. “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. “It initiated requisite tactical actions,” he said.
“It is important to highlight that the flight path of this object endangered many international and domestic passenger flights — both in Indian and Pakistani air space — as well as human life and property on ground.
“Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain. It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency,” he said, adding that this could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.
“Pakistan strongly protests this flagrant violation and cautions against recurrence of any such incident in the future,” he warned.
