Pakistan test-fires Shaheen missile

Islamabad, Feb 23 (UNI) Pakistan today successfully test-fired its long range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf VI (Shaheen II), which can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads and has a range upto 2,000 km.

''The missile test was part of continuous process of validation and technical improvement, which Pakistan follows to consolidate and verify its various land-based strategic missile systems,'' said a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) after the test-fire.

The Hatf VI (Shaheen II) is Pakistan's longest range ballistic missile system with a range of 2000 kms. It is a two stage solid fuel missile, which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads with high accuracy.

Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman General Ehsan Ul Haq congratulated the scientists, engineers and the staff of Pakistan's strategic organisations on achieving an important milestone in the country's quest for sustaining strategic balance in South Asia, said the statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Gen Haq made it clear that Pakistan's strategy of credible minimum deterrence was fully in place and was a guarantee of peace in the region.

He said defence needs of the country would always remain a government priority and the strategic programme particularly, which enjoyed complete national consensus, would continue to be consolidated and strengthened in line with the needs of national security.

Pakistan began test-firing different versions of short and medium range delivery systems since April 1998 when it first conducted test of Ghauri-1 intermediate range missile, which can hit targets upto 1,500 kilometers accurately, followed by similar tests the next years involving the nuclear capable Shaheen, Ghaznavi and Abdali missile systems Short and medium range missiles Hatf-3 (Ghaznavi), Hatf-4 (Shaheen-1), Hatf-5 (Ghauri), have already been handed over to the Army's Strategic Force Command.

Pakistan's inventory of missiles also include ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM), Babar, which was test-fired in August 2005, for the first time. The missile carry any types of warheads accurately up to 550 kilometers.

UNI