THE recent intrusion of an Indian missile into Pakistani airspace led to much chest-beating and inane demands for a joint commission of enquiry. All this misses the existential questions, such as why did the incoming enemy missile not generate a defensive interception and with it a retaliatory response? What if the missile had been launched with a mala fide intention armed with a lethal warhead?

No joint commission could have saved Mian Channu and half the country with it. Also, it could not have undone the setback of an initial strike which we were clearly unprepared to counter.

The incident points to the need of a comprehensive, functioning, anticipatory defence mechanism that automatically triggers a retaliation of a kind that would discourage adventurism, intended or accidental.

Hayat Mehdi
Vienna, Austria

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022