THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Missile misadventure’ (March 13) which has rightly described as a wakeup call the recent incident in which an Indian missile struck Mian Channu. It is certainly a serious matter of great significance and implications. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the Foreign Office have rightly dealt with the situation. Due to ongoing political turmoil, however, it appears that the matter has been put on the back-burner, which should not have been the case.

India has become a very unsafe and unreliable nuclear power which has no proper way to control nuclear emissions, like what happened in Bhopal nuclear plant on Dec 2, 1984. India has also failed badly in ensuring uranium security as many a time nuclear material was found in the open market and its missile operating system is faulty. The world must take notice of these lapses in the Indian nuclear system and take remedial measures to save the mankind.

Since the advent of the nuclear age, one of the most important aspects is the danger of a nuclear war by mistake. One of the safeguards is a hotline working round-the-clock to avert any adverse effects due to mistake. What is intriguing in the current case is that when, according to India, the missile was fired ‘accidently’, it did not use the hotline to inform Pakistan immediately. Why?

New Delhi responded to Islamabad’s protest only after a delay of about 72 hours, which creates serious doubts about the Indian claims that appear to be an afterthought.

Another aspect negates the Indian theory of ‘mistake’. The missile after its launch was heading towards southern part of India with the Indian Ocean lying ahead. Who changed the course of the missile? The answer is simple: either the command was given from the launch site or it was meant to change course after a specific time.

It appears that India by design wanted to test both the capabilities of the missile in real time as well as the response from Pakistan. The matter should not be left at this point, and must be pursued vigorously nationally and internationally to expose the Indian designs and its nefarious objectives.

The matter is so serious that it could be raised at the United Nations Security Council in case we do not get a satisfactory reply and reassurance from India.

Lt-Col (retd) Syed Iftikhar Ahmed
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2022