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Pakistan hails test of stealth missile with greater range

Pakistan yesterday successfully test fired a longer range version of its nuclear-capable, radar-dodging cruise missile, the military said.

The Hatf VII Babur missile has a range of 700km and can carry all kinds of warheads including nuclear, it said in a statement.

The missile's previous range was 500km.

"The test was successful and technical parameters were set," Pakistan military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad told reporters.

The statement said the "Babur ... is a terrain-hugging, radar-avoiding cruise missile, whose range has now been enhanced to 700km. It is a highly maneuverable missile with pinpoint accuracy."

The test was witnessed by the chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Ehsan ul-Haq, as well as senior military officials and scientists, the statement said.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have congratulated the scientists and engineers on this "very important success," it added.

"The test is part of Pakistan's ongoing efforts at consolidating its strategic capability and strengthening national security," the statement said.

The indigenously-developed cruise missile was first tested in 2005, surprising the world, and again in March last year.

Pakistan did not say if it had informed nuclear-armed rival India about the test in advance. They have an agreement to notify each other about tests of ballistic missiles but not cruise missiles. Last month, Pakistan signed a historic deal with India to reduce the risk of atomic weapons accidents.

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