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| Tuesday, 30 November 2004 |
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Pakistan tests nuclear-capable missile ISLAMABAD, Monday (Reuters) Pakistan carried out another test of a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Monday as part of efforts to boost its defences, the military said. A successful test of a surface-to-surface solid-fuel missile Hatf-III Ghaznavi with a range of 290 km (181 miles) took place, it said in a statement. "The test was a part of a series of tests planned to be conducted in order to verify certain parameters and to further refine subsystems of the missile," it said. "Pakistan's nuclear and missile programme will maintain the pace of development and tests will continue to be conducted as per technical needs," it added. The indigenously produced missile was delivered to the army in February this year and has been previously tested in 2002 and 2003. It was the third test of the missile. Officials say missile tests over the last four years and the delivery of systems to the military demonstrate the government's resolve to strengthen Pakistan's nuclear deterrent. The military said Pakistan had notified the neighbouring countries about the test, a practice also observed by arch-rival India, which regularly carries out tests of nuclear-capable missiles. In October Pakistan test-fired the nuclear-capable ballistic missile Hatf V, a type of Ghauri missile with a range of 1,500 km (940 miles) that is capable of hitting most Indian cities and which can carry a payload of 900 kg (1,985 lbs). However, military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan said at the time that the missile test was not intended as a signal to anyone and said he hoped a peace process with India would produce positive results. |
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