By Mashal Khan

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - Western powers including the UN and UN Security Council silence over recent India missile fire toward Pakistan widely criticized by analysts and public across the world. 

So far no world power including the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General, International Atomic Energy Agency, and other countries have reacted to Indian action that could push South Asia to nuclear war if Pakistan reacted.

“I try not to fuel the toxic whataboutism that infects South Asia policy discussions. But it’s simply a fact that if Pakistan pulled this we’d see international outrage. To deny that verges on gaslighting,” US analysts and researcher Adam N Weinstein tweeted. 

“It’s deeply troubling and should be global front page news. Do better,” he added. 

The international media also avoided coverage of the major incident that caused several questions over the safety of India's nuclear and strategic weapons. 

“India’s irresponsible behaviour, or even possible mendacity, is scary. Pakistan could have easily responded by launching a counter strike & consequences would have inevitably escalated to nuclear holocaust. India today acts no better than a rogue state while patronised by the US,” Javed Hassan prominent political analyst wrote on Twitter

On Thursday, Pakistan army said that a day earlier a Hi-speed flying object was picked up inside Indian Territory by the Air Defence Operations Center of Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

 “From its initial course, the object suddenly maneuvered towards Pakistani Territory and violated Pakistan Air Space ultimately falling near Mian Channu at 6:50 PM also damaged some civilian property,” said the spokesman of the Pakistan army.

“Thankfully, no loss or injury to human life was caused,” he added.

According to the military spokesman, Pakistan Air Force was continuously monitoring the complete flight path of the flying object from its point of origin Sirsa in India till its point of impact near Mian Channu and initiated requisite tactical actions by SOPs.

Ahead of this incident, Pakistan Navy foiled an Indian submarine’s attempt to breach its territorial waters on March 1 in the Arabian Sea.

 The Indian political and defense analysts criticized its country for an “irresponsible” move and said such actions could push the region into a catastrophe if Pakistan responds in the same way. 

“Pak air defense displayed great maturity in assuming restraint instead of rogue action. Should we hope to be so lucky every time?”  Sushant Singh wrote in his article published in the Deccan Herald.

The missile was fired during the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection exercises at an Indian Air Force base in north India, according to Singh.

“Imagine if a missile had fallen on Indian territory and the Pakistani side had claimed “accidental firing”, would the Indian political leadership and jingoistic media have accepted that explanation?,” Singh questioned. 

- India's violation of Pakistan airspace in 2019

On Feb. 26, 2019, the Indian Air Forces violated Pakistan airspace and bombed in the hilly forest area of Pakistan northwestern Balakot town, also claimed to have killed 300 militants. 

However, the bomb destroyed several trees in the forest area. 

On the next day, Feb. 27, 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) downed an Indian MiG-21 aircraft following entered its airspace and captured Indian pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman after the plane crashed in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the next day, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his release in a gesture of goodwill widely hailed by the international community.

In 2019, the international community also had remained silent and didn’t take any action against India to violate the airspace of a sovereign country and bomb inside its territory.

While in 2011, when Pakistan had tested its Nasr ballistic missile to counter India's proactive operations there was a massive hue and cry by Western subject matter experts that Pakistani TNWs could fall in hands of rogue elements in the rank and file of Armed Forces, Fidato, a social media user, wrote on Twitter. 

• Questions raised on India's nuclear weapons safety 

On Friday, Pakistan National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf raised questions over the safety of India’s nuclear weapons after New Delhi admitted that its missile accidentally fired. 

“In a nuclear environment, such callousness & ineptitude raises questions about the safety & security of Indian weapon systems. Already, there have been multiple incidents of uranium theft in India and its citizens have even been arrested while smuggling uranium in the recent past,” Yusuf said.

Yusuf warned that the Indian move has raised serious questions about New Delhi’s ability to handle such sensitive technology. 

He also criticized the international community's silence over the situation in South Asia and said its an “alarm’ for the whole world.

“Regardless, the world must remove its blinders about Indian state’s behavior within its country, its diplomatic direction, & its disregard for the need for peace & stability in its neighborhood. The world must treat this incident with the urgency, sensitivity & alarm it deserves,” Pakistan National Security adviser said. 

• Over 200kg of nuclear and radioactive material disappeared from Indian facilities

In February this year, eight people including two Indian nationals were arrested  in Nepal for illegally possessing and attempting to sell a “uranium-like substance.” The material was reportedly smuggled from India, according to The Diplomat, a premier international current-affairs magazine.

“This was not just a one-off incident – theft and illegal sale of nuclear and radioactive material in India is a recurring phenomenon,” said the report.

In the past two decades over 200 kilograms of nuclear and radioactive material has reportedly disappeared from Indian nuclear facilities, its added. 

In May 2021, the Indian authorities also seized 7 kilograms of highly radioactive uranium, worth 210 million Indian rupees, from a scrap dealer that raised serious concerns about India’s nuclear security capabilities.

• Hindu nationalist BJP threat for South Asia security 

The latest missile fire incident came soon after the ruling BJP party hardline extremist leader Yogi Adithyanath won the election in the country’s most populist state UP. 

On Feb. 18, Yogi Adithyanath while addressing a public gathering ahead of the election said “the next time there is a surgical strike, it will be a moment to say, as people will know that the missile used in the operation was manufactured at the Brahmos unit in Sarojininagar here,” Times of India quoted Yogi a saying. 

Most BJP extremist leaders use provocative language in public gatherings against Pakistan to spread hatred against its rival country and get the extremist elements’ support.

In November last year, the Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh also warned Pakistan that ‘new India’ will give a befitting reply to efforts made by them to destabilize peace in the nation.

“Pakistan makes all efforts to destabilize peace in India but we have sent a clear message to them that we will hit back. This is a new and powerful India,” the Hindustan Times quoted Singh as saying.

However, on Friday, India sensed the repercussions of its action and regretted over missile fire, calling it was a "technical malfunction".

In a statement, Indian Defense Ministry said the government of India has taken serious notice and ordered a high-level Court of Enquiry into a missile that entered into Pakistan.

“The incident is deeply regrettable, but it is a matter of relief that there has been no loss of life due to the accident,” said the ministry. 

However, Pakistan rejected the Indian statement and said the grave nature of the incident raises several fundamental questions regarding security protocols and technical safeguards against the accidental or unauthorized launch of missiles in a nuclearized environment.

“India also needs to explain the flight path/ trajectory of the accidentally launched missile and how it ultimately turned and entered into Pakistan?.

• Was the missile equipped with self-destruct mechanism? Why did it fail to actualize?” said Pakistan Foreign Ministry 

Islamabad demanded a joint probe in order to accurately establish the facts surrounding the incident.

Pakistan also called 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.