Could have responded, but observed restraint, Pakistan PM after India's missile misfire
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Days after India's "accidental firing" of a missile that landed in Pakistan's Punjab province, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that his country could have responded but observed restraint instead, PTI reported.
"We could have responded after an Indian missile fell in Mian Channu but we observed restraint," Khan said while addressing a rally in Punjab's Hafizabad district.
During Sunday's rally, Khan said that Pakistan responded in a very calculated manner to the missile incident.
"Pakistan has all the abilities to protect its boundaries and heading in the right direction," he said.
During the rally, Khan also spoke about Pakistan's defence preparedness, according to Associated Press reported. "We have to make our defence and country strong," he said.
On March 9, Pakistan said that a high-speed Indian projectile had entered its airspace and crashed near Mian Channu city in Khanewal district, damaging some civilian property.
The next day, Islamabad summoned India's envoy in Pakistan and sought a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.
On March 11, India admitted that it had accidentally fired the missile into Pakistan this week because of a "technical malfunction" during routine maintenance, giving its version of events after Pakistan warned New Delhi of "unpleasant consequences."
The Indian government said that it had taken a serious view of it and ordered a high-level enquiry into the incident.
Following India's admission, Pakistan, however, said that the incident indicated many serious "loopholes and technical lapses" in "India's handling of strategic weapons".
The Pakistan foreign ministry had further said that there could not be a "simplistic explanation" for such a grave incident and demanded that both countries conduct a joint investigation to "accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident".
The ministry had also raised a series of questions for India to answer, including why India had failed to inform Pakistan immediately about the accidental launch of the missile and waited to acknowledge it till Pakistan raised alarm and sought clarification from New Delhi.