Pakistan test fires nuke-capable missile

Pakistan test fires nuke-capable missile

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan on Friday successfully test-fired a medium-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile, an event witnessed by the nation's new army chief, the military said.

The Strategic Missile Group launched the Shaheen-1 missile from an undisclosed location at the conclusion of the army's annual field training exercises, a statement said. The missile has a range of 420 miles.

Nuclear-armed Pakistan routinely tests the various missiles in its arsenal, designed to match that of neighboring archrival India.

Friday's launch was witnessed by army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, who congratulated the troops on achieving "high standards of training and excellent results" during the exercise, the statement said.

Kayani recently took over as army chief after President Pervez Musharraf gave up that role in the face of Western and domestic pressure.

The statement quoted Kayani as saying that Pakistan's armed forces were a "highly professional, motivated and well trained force" and were "capable of safeguarding and securing nuclear assets against all categories of threat."

Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations and they have fought three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

However, relations between them have improved since 2004 when they started a peace process to resolve all disputes, including their competing claims to the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir.

Pakistan became a declared nuclear power in 1998, when it conducted underground nuclear tests in response to those carried out by India. Pakistan also tested its first missile the same year.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday test-fired a 700 km-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile, which could hit targets inside India, as its army chief dismissed as an "irresponsible alarm", concerns about the country's atomic weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.

Pakistan Army's Strategic Force Command carried out a launch of the Shaheen-1 or Hatf-IV missile at the conclusion of an annual field training exercise.

The "successful" launch, which was conducted from an undisclosed location, was carried out by a Strategic Missile Group, an army statement said.

The Shaheen-1 missile is an operationalised weapon system that is already in service with the Pakistani military and is "routinely fired during training exercises," the army said.

Pakistan's political turmoil and an upsurge in terrorist attacks have sparked reports in the Western media about the safety of the country's nuclear arsenal and the effectiveness of its command and control system.

But Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who witnessed the launch with senior military officers and scientists, dismissed such concerns as "unrealistic and based on a lack of understanding of Pakistan's command and control mechanisms."

Addressing troops in the area where the field training exercise was carried out, Kayani referred to "international concerns regarding speculative scenarios" and said the "Pakistani armed forces were a highly professional, motivated and well trained force and were capable of safeguarding and securing nuclear assets against all categories of threat".

"The nation stood behind the armed forces," Kayani said, adding that the "irresponsible alarm" created by certain quarters would be "counter-productive".

Kayani, who became army chief in November last year when President Pervez Musharraf quit the post, "made it clear that Pakistan did not have any aggressive designs against anyone and its nuclear capability was solely for the purpose of deterring all types of aggression".

The Army Chief said Pakistan had "developed a strong nuclear deterrence capability and expected that the officers and men entrusted with the task of deterring aggression would continue to train hard and maintain professional excellence".

Besides the unrest witnessed in the wake of the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto last month, Pakistan has been rocked by a series of suicide attacks on the armed forces and increased militant activities in its lawless tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

This has led to concerns among Western powers about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.

Musharraf, currently on a four-nation visit to Europe, said in Paris this week that militants could gain access to Pakistan's atomic weapons only if al-Qaeda or the Taliban "defeated the Pakistani army" or if radical groups won the upcoming general election.

"There is a zero per cent chance of either one of them," he said.

I do understand the feelings to Indians & others around the world regarding Pakistan`s

Nuclear Asstes. But Government of Pakistan has said now lots lots of times that they

are completly safe, and no worry about it. But unfortunatly the current situation of

Pakistan let the think about Pakistan`s Nuclear Assets Protection. Wich is probably

correct thinking. But they are safe thats all.

_________________
I do believe on Ghosts.

Pakistan Zindabad

You have to rember the fact that you always have to put in something to take out something. I feel that we have been taking out of the pakistani team a lot of effort but our government is not supporting them like other nations do....

Wow! really amazing. thank you for the news

26 Jan, 2008, 0800 hrs IST, PTI

WASHINGTON: The US has downplayed the latest test-firing of a nuclear-capable missile by Pakistan as something "not unique", even as it urged all countries in the region to observe their international obligations.

Pakistan yesterday test-fired the 700 km-range Shaheen-1 or Hatf-IV ballistic missile, which could hit targets inside India.

"We've seen those reports that the Pakistanis have tested a missile. This I understand is a system as reported that has been tested previously," State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said.

"Certainly, again, we want all countries to comply with their international obligations and would not want to see anything done that would destabilise the region," he said.

Casey maintained that the missile test was "not unique and has, in fact, happened before".

what??

dats confusing :S

FRDSFRSFGSF

Better relation with neighbours and pour money in to National Health, Education and welfare system. Even if we win war would we be able to control our controlled areas, when we cannot even manage our current affairs. Mature thoughts would help Pakistani Econokmy and unltimately Pakistani People.