Pakistan has tested its Ghaznavi surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of different warheads, including nuclear ones. The test marks the nation’s second successful launch of the missile which has an operating range 290km. The test was part of a larger field training exercise used to test the country’s day and night combat readiness. It comes just hours after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan warned in an interview with the BBC of the “big threat” of “imminent conflict” in Kashmir.
Pakistan’s state media commented on the launch and explained it was witnessed by top military officials.
The operation was considered a success as the state media said the test was “a very high standard of proficiency in handling and operating the weapon system”.
Both Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Arif Alvi hailed the launch as a “landmark achievement.”
The Ghaznavi ballistic missile is also known as Hatf-3.
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It is a Pakistani made nuclear-capable missile which can be launched from land-based vehicles making for a convenient option at short notice.
This exercise follows after an escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir’s autonomy being revoked by New Delhi.
Pakistan has claimed that India’s move is a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.
India countered by arguing that changes to the Indian Constitution are an internal matter and this change will improve stability while also ending militancy in Kashmir.
“This is a huge problem. Whatever is happening anywhere else in the world, there’s not a chance of conflict like one between two nuclear-armed countries over Kashmir. This is a big threat.
“This will have consequences far beyond the Indian subcontinent if this goes wrong.
“As someone who sees India is heading in the wrong direction hence it is my duty to tell the world to prevent these sort of conflicts.
“There’s no imminent conflict anywhere else. There is in Kashmir.”