Pakistan Tests Long-Range Nuke-Capable Missile

Falling on the eve of India’s first cricket tour to Pakistan since 1989 and in the midst of a peace process with its nuclear neighbor, the test proved Pakistan’s intention to maintain a nuclear deterrent, the military said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"It reflects Pakistan’s resolve to maintain minimum credible deterrence as the cornerstone of its security policy," a military statement said.

The test was the first of the locally-built Shaheen II or Hatf-VI missile, which can carry warheads up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles).

"By the grace of Allah, all the planned technical parameters were successfully validated during the test fire," the statement said.

Pakistan and India are currently mending ties after coming to the brink of war two years ago.

The peace moves, combined with international condemnation of nuclear proliferation by Pakistan’s nuclear program founder Abdul Qadeer Khan, triggered fears among some Pakistanis that the government would be pressed to wind down its nuclear program.

President Pervez Musharraf, previewing the test during a press conference last month, had "categorically dismissed apprehensions of a roll back," the military stressed in its statement.

Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali congratulated personnel involved in the "successful development and launching" of the Shaheen-II missile system, as per the statement.

Shaheen-II is the longest-range missile tested by Pakistan so far.

Pakistan’s arsenal includes the Ghauri missile – test fired in 1997 – which can hit targets up to 1,500 kilometers.

Political analyst Mohammad Afzal Niazi said the latest test indicates the two countries continue to harbor suspicions, despite the recent thaw including the cricket diplomacy.

"It is clear that both India and Pakistan have indicated that (in) their assessment, which appears realistic, that the peace process is still too preliminary for either side to delay or suspend their military preparation," Niazi told AFP.

Military analysts believe the latest Pakistani test was to prove that its missiles can cover almost all of India’s territory.

"Pakistan’s nuclear program and missile capability, both are India-specific," former army chief General Aslam Beg told AFP.

"A combination of missiles with short and mid-range indicates that Pakistan can now cover almost all territories in India as well as the Indian Ocean. That gives a meaningful capability to Pakistan."

The rival neighbors have fought three wars, two of them over the festering Kashmir dispute since their independence from Britain in 1947.

General Beg did not believe Tuesday’s test would have an adverse effect on the newly initiated peace process between India and Pakistan.

"I don’t think it is going to have any impact on the mood or modalities of the peace process," he said.

"It is understood (in India) that the test was a routine experiment to ensure effectiveness and capability of the system."