Pakistan Thursday successfully tested a cruise missile capable
of carrying a variety of warheads, including nuclear, the military
said.
The Babur Hatf VII missile has a range of 700 km. It was last
tested in March.
The missile test was a success that would "consolidate
Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security,"
a military statement said.
The test was meant to validate the design parameters set for the
missile, the statement said.
President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz
greeted scientists on the test firing and "assured complete support
in the development plans of all strategic projects," the statement
said.
The Babur Hatf VII is a terrain-hugging, radar avoiding cruise
missile.
The missile was first tested in 2005. Since, then its range has
been enhanced to 700 km, from 500 km previously.
Pakistan routinely tests various nuclear-capable missiles in its
arsenal, believed to be designed mainly to match that of
neighboring India. The two countries have agreed to inform each
other of such tests in advance.
In February, Pakistan test-fired a new version of its long-range
nuclear-capable missile, Hatf VI or Shaheen II, which has a range
of 2,000 kilometers.
The two South Asian neighbors carried out tit-for-tat nuclear
weapons tests in 1998.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence from
Britain in 1947, but have been holding peace talks since 2004.
(China Daily via agencies July 27, 2007)
