Pakistan has summoned India over a missile launch which it said was an “unprovoked violation” of its airspace.  

On Friday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it had summoned India’s chargé d’affaires to complain about the incident.

Military spokesman Major-General Babar Iftikhar condemned India’s actions on Thursday, saying in a news conference that a “high-speed flying object” crashed near its eastern city of Mian Channu. 

“The flight path of this object endangered many national and international passenger flights both in Indian and Pakistani airspace, as well as human life and property of ground,” Mr Iftikhar said.

Mr Iftikhar added that the missile had been launched from the northern Indian city of Sirsa, in Haryana state near New Delhi.

The country’s foreign office said it had summoned India’s charge d’affaires in Islamabad and has called for an investigation into the incident, which it said could have endangered passenger flights and civilian lives.

On Wednesday, India said it accidentally fired a missile into Pakistan, saying it was a “technical malfunction” that happened during routine maintenance.

In a statement, India’s defence ministry took responsibility for the missile launch. 

“On 9 March 2022, in the course of routine maintenance, a technical malfunction led to the accidental firing of a missile. The Government of India has taken a serious view and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry,” the statement said. “It is learnt that the missile landed in an area of Pakistan. While the incident is deeply regrettable, it is also a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident.” 

According to Pakistan, the missile flew more than 100 km inside their airspace, at an altitude of 40,000 feet and at three times the speed of sound, before it landed. There was no warhead on the missile so it did not detonate.