Chairs 248th Corps Commanders moot at GHQ | Commanders express serious concerns over India’s farcical security protocols of its Strategic Assets | See Indian dud Missile episode as highly alarming | COAS hails success of anti terror operations by Forces | Global, regional, internal security scenarios discussed
From Our Defense Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top military brass on Tuesday urged the relevant international forums to take a serious view of the “accidental firing” of a missile by India despite New Delhi’s public admission that it was a “mistake.”
The corps commanders, who met in Rawalpindi at the General Headquarters, warned that such dangerous incidents could “act as a trigger and seriously endanger regional peace and strategic stability”, according to military’s media wing, the ISPR.
The unarmed missile fired accidently by India on March 9 travelled 124 km inside Pakistani territory and fell in Mian Channu, damaging local properties.
India took 48 hours to confirm the mistake and only after Pakistan went public with all the details about the missile landing on its side.
Pakistan has sought a joint probe into the missile fiasco that could have led to a major disaster between the two countries.
Presided over by army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, the corps commanders were given a comprehensive briefing on important global and regional developments, internal security situation in the country and progress on ‘Western Border Management Regime’.
The forum reviewed with concern, the recent incident of missile firing, claimed as accidental by India, which could have resulted in a major disaster, read a statement issued by the ISPR.
It was emphasised that despite Indian acknowledgment of the mistake, relevant international forums must take a serious view of the incident and subject the safety and security protocols of Indian strategic assets to deliberate oversight. “Such dangerous incidents can act as trigger and seriously endanger regional peace and strategic stability.”
The COAS lauded successful ongoing counter-terrorism operations, according to the military’s media wing. The forum expressed resolve to take all requisite measures to ensure security of the country. COAS directed that comprehensive security measures be ensured for peaceful conduct of OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting and Pakistan Day Parade. Gen Qamar also appreciated operational preparedness of the formations and emphasised on mission oriented training.
The reference to security for the upcoming OIC foreign ministers conference in Islamabad and Pakistan Day Parade is linked to the current political stalemate between the government and opposition parties.
Both sides have announced their separate public rallies in Islamabad against the backdrop of a pending no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The ruling PTI is scheduled to hold what it is termed a “biggest ever public gathering in Islamabad” on March 27. The opposition parties have also announced their plans to start a long march towards the capital on March 23.
The opposition is planning to stage a sit-in till the voting on a no-confidence move in the National Assembly, threatening a potential clash with a PTI gathering being planned at famous D-Chowk.
The army chief’s insistence on ensuring fool proof security for the OIC foreign ministers conference and Pakistan Day Parade suggested that the country’s leadership might be in touch with all the stakeholders on the subject.
The head of PML-Q Chauhdry Shujaat Hussain, earlier in the day, urged the PTI to call off the planned rally saying the government of the day should not get involved in street politics. But the government is adamant that it will go ahead with the rally as planned.
A number of foreign ministers from the 57-nation OIC are expected to attend the conference. This is the second meeting of OIC foreign ministers taking place in Islamabad in the space of three months. The last one though was extraordinary session meant to discuss the Afghan humanitarian situation but the upcoming conference is a regular one that Pakistan is set to host on its turn after a gap of 15 years.
The event is taking place at a time when the political tensions are running high with the current government facing an uncertain future.
