Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) 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.
"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 (PAF)," he began. "From initial course, it deviated and entered Pakistan territory and fell in Pakistani territory, causing some damage to civilian installations but no loss of life was reported."
Pakistan Air Force initiated tactical operations, he said.
"The flight path endangered civilians in both Pakistan and India. India must explain what caused this; this reflects poorly on Indian aviation," he said, adding that this could have resulted in a major aviation disaster.
DG ISPR Press Conference - 10 March 2022 https://t.co/W5HTbFll3V
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) March 10, 2022
Pakistan strongly protests the "flagrant violation", he said.
"There was no sensitive installation in Mian Channu where the projectile fell."
In response to a question, he said "testing and trial of such weapon systems do take place". "But what this was, India has to explain."
"This incident reflects the questionable capabilities of the human resources working on these programmes in India as well as this technology."
Asked for more details about the object, he said "we are not claiming anything right now". "As a responsible nation, we will wait for India to respond. We have given details of whatever we know right now. But it is for the Indians to explain what happened in Mian Channu."
"All our forces are alert to the threat and challenges that we face."
'Army has nothing to do with politics'
During the Q&A session, the DG ISPR was also asked whether the army was standing with Prime Minister Imran Khan, in relation to the current political situation and his impending no-confidence vote.
“I had clearly stated in my last press conference that the army has nothing do with politics,” he replied. “It is this way and it will remain this way."
He also requested that there "be no unnecessary speculations about this now".
