Pakistan yesterday successfully test-fired "with outstanding results" an upgraded version of a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile that can hit a target up to 2,000km away, a military spokesman said.
The test of the Shaheen II or Hataf-VI was done to validate additional technical parameters "beyond those that were verified in the last test fire in March 2005," the spokesman said in a statement.
The latest Shaheen II, that can also travel 2,500km in an advanced version, is a two-stage solid fuel missile which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads with "high accuracy."
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz -- who witnessed the launching of the missile from an undisclosed location -- said that Pakistan was pursuing a strategy of "credible minimum deterrence" to ensure peace in the region.
"The defense needs of the country will always remain a priority and the strategic program which enjoys universal support within the country will go from strength to strength," the statement quoted him as saying.
US-India deal
In an indirect reference to the recent US-India nuclear deal, Aziz said his country was fully aware of developments in the South Asian region and would never accept discrimination of any kind.
Pakistan says that the agreement, which is awaiting US congressional approval and was signed during US President George W. Bush's visit to India in March, will have "implications" for the strategic stability in the region.
Bush wants to help India develop its civilian nuclear energy program, but is meeting resistance in Congress, which has expressed worry over the possible threat of nuclear weapons proliferation.
A strong ally to the US, Pakistan is demanding similar cooperation from Washington that has already been ruled out by the Bush administration.
"We will continue to pursue vigorously our security and energy needs from all sources including nuclear," Aziz said.
President General Pervez Musharraf in a message congratulated the country's scientists and engineers for carrying out the latest test with outstanding success and said the nation was proud of them.
The nuclear-armed and often hostile neighbors -- Pakistan and India -- have been carrying out routine tests of different versions of delivery systems.
Pakistan first tested its nuclear-capable Ghauri-I intermediate range missile with a 1,500km range in April 1998.
Since then, the country has conducted tests of surface-to-surface long range Shaheen-II or Hataf-VI, medium range Shaheen-I (Hatf-IV), short-range surface-to-surface Hatf-III or Ghaznavi and intermediate range ballistic missile Ghauri or Hatf-V.
Ghaznavi, Ghauri and Shaheen-I have already been handed over to Pakistan Army's Strategic Force Command.
Peace process
The latest test comes two days after Pakistan and India wrapped up three-day talks in Islamabad on boosting confidence-building measures both in nuclear and conventional field, but failed to finalize a draft agreement on "reducing risk of accidental or unauthorized use of nuclear weapons."
The talks are part of the peace process called the Composite Dialogue, the two South Asian countries resumed in February 2004 after years of tension that brought them dangerously close to a full-scale war in 2002.
They have already fought three wars since their simultaneous independence from colonial rule in 1947.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number