On Thursday (March 10), the Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DGISPR) claimed that a surface-to-surface supersonic Indian missile fell in Mian Channu city in Khanewal district of the Punjab province of Pakistan. The incident, according to him, took place on Wednesday ( March 9) evening.
While briefing the media, General Major Babar Iftikhar claimed that a ‘high-speed flying object’, allegedly launched from India, changed its trajectory and entered Pakistan’s air space on Wednesday at 6:50 pm. He said, “It was a supersonic flying object, most probably a missile, but it was certainly unarmed. When it fell, it damaged civilian properties”
DG ISPR alleged that the ‘flying object’ travelled 124 km from Sirsa in India to land in Mian Channu city of Pakistan. Genera Babar, however, made it clear that the flying object was not shot down and that it fell on its own.
DG ISPR Press Conference – 10 March 2022 https://t.co/W5HTbFll3V
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) March 10, 2022
He further claimed that the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) continuously monitored the path of the object and that it endangered civilian lives and aviation safety. ISPR said that the ‘missile’ passed close to airliners from Saudi Arabia, Qatar in Indian airspace and 3 flight courses in Pakistani airspace.
“Whatever caused this incident to happen, it is for the Indians to explain. It, nevertheless, shows their disregard for aviation safety and reflects very poorly on their technological prowess and procedural efficiency,” General Babr Iftikhar claimed. While calling it a ‘fragrant violation’, he went on to threaten India against the recurrence of any such event.
Pakistani trainer aircraft crashes in Mian Channu city
On the same night of March 9, during which an alleged Indian missile landed in the Pakistani territory, a private trainer aircraft crashed on cold storage at Chak 115 in Mian Channu city in Khanewal district in Punjab province of Pakistan.
I think it is J-10C.
— Aniket Deshpande (@aniket__sd) March 10, 2022
PAF just lost one of its newly acquired J-10Cs.
6 x J-10C landed at Minhas Airbase about a week ago. https://t.co/OdfYVLkKO4 pic.twitter.com/QoLPb5VsnY
The pilot operating the aircraft reportedly ejected in time, thereby causing no loss of life. The trainer jet crashed in an open field. The cops cordoned off the area and waited for the army officials to collect samples from the crash site.
No-confidence motion against Imran Khan and the outbreak of internal conflict
Interestingly, the claims made by the Pakistani military of an Indian missile ‘intruding’ into the country’s airspace comes two days after the Opposition parties had submitted a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against the ‘selected’ government of Imran Khan.
A total of 100 Parliamentarians, belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz, had submitted the motion before the Secretariat of the National Assembly on Tuesday (March 8). Backed by the Pakistani army, Imran Khan had come to power in August 2018.
The protests to remove the former cricketer as the Premier of Pakistan as identified when Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman joined the Opposition against the ‘selected government’. The Islamic cleric has called upon his cadre to hit the streets of Islamabad or block the streets/ hold demonstrations where they are and bring the country to a standstill.
This is a direct threat to State and the citizens of Pakistan by Fazlu. Whoever sides with him is on the wrong path pic.twitter.com/k2WxxdGFxh
— Virk Shahzaib (@VirkSh786) March 10, 2022
Meanwhile, the Pakistani Opposition parties had sought protection from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)’s private militia group called Ansarul Islam. In a video that has now surfaced on social media, JUI-F workers were seen surrounding an army vehicle and chasing it away amidst the growing sentiment against the ‘selected’ Imran Khan government.
Another angle: pic.twitter.com/YHbSpq1Y8Y
— Farhan Mallick (@FGMallick) March 10, 2022
“We will drag Imran Khan by the throat and get him out of Bani Gala (residential area in Islamabad). All the workers have reached Islamabad,” JUI-F leader Rashid Soomro was heard issuing threats to the incumbent Pakistani government.
ہم عمران خان کو گلے سے گھسیٹ کر بنی گالہ سے نکالیں گے تمام کارکنان اسلام آباد پہنچیں۔ راشد سومرو
— Muhammad Faizan Yasin (@faizanMFY) March 10, 2022
یہ ریاست کے غلاف کھلی غداری نہیں تو کیا ہے؟ ریاست ایسے مجرمان کو تاحیات جیل میں ڈالے۔ pic.twitter.com/7Spt1SQghv
A ‘rattled’ Imran Khan deployed police commandoes, Counter-Terrorism Department and Anti-Terrorism Force to evict them from the Parliament Lodges. The government also sought to ban the outfit on Thursday (March 9).
“In pursuance of approval of the federal government in terms of Article 146(1) of the Constitution and after obtaining the consent from the provincial governments”, the federal government through the interior ministry “entrusts the provincial governments the power to take appropriate actions under Section 2 of the Private Military Organisations (Abolition and Prohibition) Act 1974 against Ansarul Islam which shall, inter alia, include the power to ban/abolish the said organisation,” the notification read.
Imran Khan facing a strong no confidence motion,had locked the opposition & kept his army at vigil
— Debojyoti Dasgupta (@tisDev) March 10, 2022
He needs magic to survive this coup d’etat
Whats better than blame India for “firing a projectile” to calm the situation & survive this
Use your brain pic.twitter.com/K0faplm7yC
Given the deteriorating internal situation in Pakistan, the timing of allegations levelled by the Pakistani army against India is being questioned. Possibly, these allegations are being levelled so Imran Khan can either play victim to his own people or try and market a fictitious threat from India to save himself domestically. Some have accused the army to deviate attention to geopolitical issues and ‘unify’ the government and the Opposition at a time when the political momentum is against Imran Khan.
