Imran Khan claims that Pakistan could have responded to the Indian missile but observed restraint

Prime Minister Imran Khan stated on Sunday that Pakistan could have replied to India when its missile landed in Pakistan’s Punjab region, but it observed restraint.

On March 9, an unarmed Indian supersonic missile penetrated Pakistani territory, jeopardising multiple airliners before crashing into private property (cold storage) near Mian Channu, around 275 kilometres from Lahore. There were no fatalities recorded.

Prime Minister Khan, speaking for the first time about the event, stated that they could have replied when an Indian missile fell in Mian Channu, but they observed restraint.

He was speaking at a public gathering in Punjab’s Hafizabad area on Sunday afternoon, despite the joint opposition’s resolution of no confidence in him.

PM Khan also addressed the country’s defence readiness, stating that they must strengthen their nation’s defence and country.

Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that it was dissatisfied with India’s “simplistic explanation” for the “accidental fire” of a missile that landed in Pakistan’s Punjab region, and urged a collaborative investigation to correctly determine the facts surrounding the event.

As per the FO, Pakistan seeks a collaborative investigation to accurately ascertain the facts surrounding the event.

India stated that the missile was ‘accidentally launched’ during a normal maintenance operation due to a technical breakdown and that a high-level court of inquiry had been convened to investigate the event.