Pakistan test launches short-range Nuke missile
Pastor Dale Morgan
Pakistan test launches short-range Nuke missile*
Reuters
Saturday, December 9, 2006; 12:34 AM
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's military successfully test-fired on
Saturday a short-range range, nuclear-capable Hatf III Ghaznavi missile
with a range of 290 km (180 miles).
It was the third test launch of a ballistic missile in as many weeks,
the military said in a statement.
"The launch came at the culmination phase of the training exercise,
which validated the operational readiness of the Strategic Missile Group
equipped with Ghaznavi missiles," the military said, referring to the
unit that handles nuclear-capable missiles.
Pakistan's Hatf series of missiles is named after an ancient sword
mentioned in Islamic historical books.
Pakistan conducted a series of nuclear tests in 1998, shortly after its
old rival India conducted similar explosions.
The neighbors have fought three wars since their independence in 1947
and nearly went to war a fourth time in 2002.
Relations have improved since they embarked on a tentative peace process
in 2004.