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Pak test fires nuclear-capable missile

By K J M Varma in Islamabad
May 29, 2004

Pakistan on Saturday test fired its medium-range, nuclear-capable 'Ghauri' missile.

"Pakistan today carried out a successful test fire of its indigenously developed medium-range ballistic missile Hatf-V (Ghauri)," Pakistani military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan said.

"The test was aimed at improving the technical parameters of missile system. There is no other objective of the test," he said.

Sultan said the missile, which can carry all kinds of warheads, hit the target at the range of 900 km.

It is Pakistan's first missile test after the new government took over in India.

"According to the data collected from the test, all design parameters have been successfully validated," Sultan said without disclosing the area where the test was conducted.

"Such details cannot be disclosed. I can only say that the firing range and the impact point was in Pakistan," he said.

The missile test was witnessed by Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Aziz Khan, he said.

Sultan said neighbouring countries were given advance information about the test in accordance with the laws.

The test coincides with the anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear tests.

The range of Hatf-V is less than Pakistan's Shaheen missile, which has a range of 2,000 km.

Sultan said the missile has been tested to continue time to time qualitative improvement of the country's ballistic missile system. "We want to achieve this goal through these tests," he added.

 

K J M Varma in Islamabad

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