Pakistan on Monday successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, the military said, Just a day after India successfully test fired its 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile at the Pokharan range.
According to the media reports, the test is part of the process of validation of a land-based ballistic missile system
A statement from Inter-Services Public Relations said, the Hatf-2 missile can travel up to 180 km and deliver nuclear as well as conventional warheads with high accuracy.
The test was witnessed by senior Army officials including director general of Strategic Planning Division, Lt. Gen. (retd) Khalid Kidwai, and Commander of Strategic Force Command Lt Gen Tariq Nadeem Gilani.
India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars since their partition in 1947, regularly test-fire missiles to display each other’s capability.
Notably, the Indian Army unit successfully launched BrahMos missile and destroyed the preselected target in the field firing ranges in Rajasthan to operationalise the second regiment of the weapon system in service.
Pakistan’s missile repertory includes Hatf ballistic missiles and its variants, Ghaznavi short-range ballistic missile, Ghauri and Shaheen medium and intermediate range ballistic missiles, Babur cruise missiles and Baktar-Shikan anti-tank guided missile, most of which have been developed with China’s help.
