‘Missile test’ by Pakistan fails

INTERNATIONAL DESK: An unidentified object was noticed by residents of Jamshoro, Sindh, in Pakistan at around 12 noon on Thursday. The object resembled a rocket or missile that looked clearly giving mid-way through its projectile.

The object is a missile, fired by Pakistan from its test range at Sindh, according to information gathered from social media and the test was scheduled at 11 am which was postponed by an hour owing to a fault in the TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher). It was finally conducted at 12 noon.

However, seconds after the launch the missile was seen descending from the path, clearly falling short of its desired projectile and landing near Thana Bula Khan in Sindh.

Although few Pakistan news channels covered the incident, the authorities in the country have remained silent. According to social media accounts in Pakistan, the local administration, however, refuted any such claim saying that it was a regular Mortar Tracer Round that was fired from the nearby range.

It is unlikely, however, that a mortar with a maximum range of 5 km will have a tracer projectile rise that high.

According to a reporter on the ARY news channel of Pakistan, there had been information of some “plane, rocket or something like that” falling down. He said the police were investigating the matter.

The video that went viral on social media shows the flying object falling from the sky in Jamshoro in Sindh province today. The object is seen coming down with a tail of smoke.

Pakistani news agency the Conflict News Pakistan reported that Pakistan might have test-fired a missile in response to a previous missile mistakenly fired from India.

Deputy Commissioner Jamshoro asked people not to panic and said the viral video pertains to a routine mortar tracer round fired during a military exercise at Kotri. “No need to panic,” he said.

“Jamshoro, Pakistan tested a missile in response to the previous Indian Brahmos missile. Pakistani missile failed to reach its target & fell down nearby,” tweeted Conflict News Pakistan.

Pakistani defence analyst account called AEROSINT Division PSF posted from its Twitter handle that the unknown object is Pakistani forces testing their fire range.

“Aliabad, Jamshoro, Sindh. With regards to the video being published on social media, the own forces testing range near the vicinity of this town is active. No reason to create panic,” tweeted AEROSINT Division PSF.

As per the Pakistani defence analyst, a prior intimation announcing no-fly zone in the test area was already issued. They said that “A NOTAM was already issued”, and attached the NOTAM issued to airlines, along with a map showing the probable path followed by the projectile.

In the NOTAM, the details of the testing schedules are specified in which the dates 17th and 18th March are mentioned.

NOTAM or Notice to Airmen are notices distributed by means of telecommunication containing information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations. (ANI)