ISLAMABAD: Islamabad on Saturday said there were “loopholes and technical lapses of [a] serious nature” in India’s handling of strategic weapons, after New Delhi admitted a day earlier it had accidentally fired a missile into Pakistan, blaming a "technical malfunction" during routine maintenance.
Pakistan’s military on Thursday said an unarmed surface-to-surface missile launched from neighboring India violated Pakistan’s airspace and ended up in eastern Punjab province on Wednesday, damaging a wall in a residential area but causing no casualties.
Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar, the head of the army’s media wing, protested over the “flagrant violation” and demanded an explanation from India. The foreign office summoned the charge d’affaires of India in Islamabad the same day to convey Pakistan’s ‘strong protest.’
On Friday, India said in the course of a routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of the missile, saying it was relieved there was no loss of life due to the accident.
However, the Pakistani foreign office said on Saturday such a “serious matter” could not be addressed with the “simplistic explanation” provided by Indian authorities.
Military experts have in the past warned of the risk of accidents or miscalculations by the nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars and engaged in numerous smaller armed clashes, usually over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
“The grave nature of the incident raises several fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against accidental or unauthorized launch of missiles in a nuclearized environment,” the foreign office said, saying the incident indicated “many loopholes and technical lapses of serious nature in Indian handling of strategic weapons.”
“Indian decision to hold an internal court of inquiry is not sufficient since the missile ended up in Pakistani territory,” the statement added. “Pakistan demands a joint probe to accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident.”
It added: “Given the short distances and response times, any misinterpretation by the other side could lead to counter measures in self-defence with grave consequences. Pakistan, therefore, calls upon the international community to take serious notice of this incident of grave nature in a nuclearized environment and play its due role in promoting strategic stability in the region.”
The statement asked India to explain the particular circumstances of the accident, the type of missile that had ended up in Pakistan, and what measures and procedures were in place to prevent accidental missile launches from the Indian side.
It also asked for the flight path and trajectory of the accidentally launched missile and how it ultimately entered Pakistan.
“Was the missile equipped with self-destruct mechanism? Why did it fail to actualize? Are Indian missiles kept primed for launch even under routine maintenance? Why did India fail to immediately inform Pakistan about accidental launch of the missile and waited to acknowledge till after Pakistan announced the incident and sought clarification? Given the profound level of incompetence, India needs to explain if the missile was indeed handled by its armed forces or some rogue elements?” were among some of the questions asked by the foreign office to the New Delhi government.
Both countries possess nuclear arsenals of comparable size.
Pakistan holds about 100–120 nuclear weapons, which can be delivered by aircraft and land-based missiles, while India’s nuclear arsenal is around 90-110 nuclear weapons, according to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Of the world’s nine nuclear-armed countries, India and Pakistan are also among the handful that have been increasing their nuclear warhead stockpiles, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS).
Pakistan says serious ‘loopholes and technical lapses’ in Indian handling of strategic weapons
https://arab.news/mt6kz
Pakistan says serious ‘loopholes and technical lapses’ in Indian handling of strategic weapons
- India said on Friday it accidentally fired missile into Pakistan this week because of "technical malfunction" during routine maintenance
- Military experts have in the past warned of risk of accidents or miscalculations by the nuclear-armed neighbours
Pakistan’s Mahnoor Omer named among TIME’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026
- Omer moved a Pakistani court against the so-called ‘period tax’ in Sept. 2025 which has since sparked a national debate
- Taxes on sanitary pads in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to retail price, UNICEF says only around 12 percent women use such products
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer, who fought against taxes on menstrual products, has been named among the TIME magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026.
Omer’s efforts have been recognized alongside 16 activists, artists, athletes and businesswomen in the TIME’s Women of the Year 2026 list, including Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Chloe Zhao.
Dissatisfied with the efforts to educate Pakistani girls about sexual violence, Omer founded the Noor Foundation at the age of 14 and held her own workshops with village girls about everything from climate change to menstruation, according to the TIME magazine.
Two years later, a conversation with a domestic worker about the price of pads made her realize that not everyone could afford these essentials. She moved a court against the so-called “period tax” in Sept. 2025 and the case has sparked a national debate on the subject, considered a taboo by many in Pakistan, since its first hearing late last year.
“A decade and one law degree after her interest in activism was sparked, Omer, now 25, is putting her passion and expertise to work in the name of gender equity,” TIME wrote about Omer on its website.
Taxes imposed on sanitary products in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to the retail price. UNICEF estimates just 12 percent of women in the country use commercially produced pads or tampons. The alternative, using cloth, risks health impacts including rashes and infections, and can make it impossible for girls to attend school while menstruating.
Omer’s suit, which awaits the government response, has sparked a national discussion. She says she spoke about menstruation to her father and male cousins, who thanked her for standing up for their daughters.
The 25-year-old, who is currently enrolled in a master’s degree in gender, peace, and security at the London School of Economics, sees this case as just the first of many.
“I’m not free until every woman is free,” she was quoted as saying by TIME. “I want to leave no stones unturned in terms of what I can do with the next few decades, as a lawyer for the women in my country and gender minorities in general.”
