Major General Babar Iftikhar, Director-General of Pakistan’s Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR), said on Thursday that an Indian supersonic projectile entered Pakistani airspace and fell near Mian Channu in Khanewal district, damaging some civilian property but causing no injuries.
The incident occurred on March 9, according to the Pakistani military, and based on preliminary analysis of the wreckage, it was determined to be a supersonic surface-to-surface missile “but certainly unarmed.”
Supersonic missle landed in Mia Channu
“A high-speed flying object was picked up inside Indian territory by the Pakistan Air Force’s [PAF] Air Defence Operation Centre around 6.43 p.m. “From its initial route, the object abruptly changed direction and breached Pakistani airspace, eventually landing near Mian Channu at 6.50 p.m.,” Major General Iftikhar told a press conference. “Some civilian property was damaged when it dropped.” Thankfully, no human life was lost or injured.”
According to him, the PAF tracked the flying object’s entire flight path from its point of origin near Sirsa, India, to its site of impact near Mian Channu.
The Indian authorities did not respond to the charges right away. The incident happened on March 9, according to Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Tariq Zia. It began near Sirsa and appeared to be traveling towards the Mahajan field shooting range before turning south towards Pakistan after 70-80 kilometers. “From the time it was picked up until it hit the ground, it took 6 minutes and 46 seconds.” “However, it was only in Pakistani territory for 3 minutes and 44 seconds,” he explained.
Forensic investigation
The object was picked up at a high altitude of 40,000 feet, moving at speeds in excess of Mach 2.5, and eventually identified as Mach 3, according to AVM Zia, who added that the debris had been retrieved and forensic analysis was underway. He indicated it was a supersonic surface-to-surface missile based on the analysis.
Maj. Gen. Iftikhar said the PAF had taken “necessary tactical actions” in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOPs), and that the object’s flight path threatened many international and domestic passenger flights, as well as human life and property on the ground, in both Indian and Pakistani airspace.
On the hotline between the Director-General of Military Operations and India, he said, there was no dialogue or intimation of anything. Maj. Gen. Iftikhar stated that the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs would request the necessary information from Indian authorities.