Pakistan Test Fires Nuke-Capable Missile
Pastor Dale Morgan
Pakistan Test Fires Nuke-Capable Missile*
Thursday March 22, 2007 9:01 AM
By SADAQAT JAN
Associated Press Writer
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan on Thursday successfully test-fired
a nuclear-capable cruise missile with the capability to avoid radar
detection, the military said.
The missile, named Babur or Hatf VII, has a range of 434 miles and is
capable of carrying various types of warheads, including nuclear, the
military-run Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said.
``The test is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts at consolidating its
strategic capability and strengthening national security,'' the
directorate said in a statement.
Babur was first tested in 2005. It was test-launched again Thursday with
an enhanced range, a military official said.
``Babur was tested successfully with new technical parameters and
enhanced edge,'' said Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, the top army spokesman.
Neither Arshad nor the military statement specified the site of the
missile launch.
Pakistan routinely tests various nuclear-capable missiles in its
arsenal, believed to be designed mainly to match that of neighboring
archrival India.
The two countries have a history of hostile relations. Both carried out
underground nuclear tests in May 1998.
However, in 2004 they began a series of negotiations to normalize
relations and settle their dispute over the Himalayan territory of
Kashmir, the main cause of bitterness between them.
Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir since their
independence from British rule in 1947. Kashmir is split between the two
countries, but each claims the whole of it.
India and Pakistan have an agreement under which each country informs
that other ahead of its missile tests.
But Pakistan did not inform India of the test Thursday because the
accord does not include providing prior information on cruise missile
tests, a military official said on condition of anonymity because he was
not authorized to comment to media.
In February, Pakistan successfully test-fired a new version of its
long-range nuclear-capable missile, Hatf VI (Shaheen II), which has a
range of 1,245 miles.