ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani witnessed the successful test-fire of a short-range ballistic missile, Hatf III (Ghaznavi) and a medium-range ballistic missile, Hatf IV (Shaheen 1) on Saturday at a missile’s test site.
The two tests were conducted at the conclusion of the annual field training exercises of Army Strategic Force Command, which were aimed at testing the operational readiness of Strategic Missile Groups equipped with Ghaznavi and Shaheen Missile Systems. Both missiles can carry conventional and nuclear warheads to a range of 290 kilometres and 650 kilometres respectively.
Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Tariq Majid, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lt. General (Retd.) Kahlid Ahmed and other senior military officials witnessed the tests.
Addressing the troops, the Prime Minister congratulated them on displaying a high standard of proficiency in handling and operating the state-of-the-art weapon systems. He said that the nation had developed a strong nuclear deterrence capability and expected that the officers and men would continue to maintain professional excellence. He said that PakistanÂ’s Armed Forces were fully capable of safeguarding PakistanÂ’s security against all kinds of aggression. He assured that his Government would continue to support the strategic programme and meet all its needs.
The Prime Minster said that there was a need for the world to move on beyond safety and security concerns. These were laid to rest at the Nuclear Security Summit where Pakistan forcefully projected its forthright stance on the issue and the world expressed satisfaction at PakistanÂ’s nuclear security arrangements.
The Prime Minister emphasised that it was time for the world to recognise Pakistan as a legitimate nuclear power with equal rights and responsibilities. He also demanded that Pakistan should be given a Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) waiver for civil nuclear energy cooperation, as energy was vital to fulfil economic needs of the country and nuclear energy was a clean way forward. Pakistan is capable of providing nuclear fuel cycle services, under IAEA safeguards, and this offer was also made at the Nuclear Security Summit, the Prime Minister said.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister announced one-month pay bonus for the scientist and technicians who were working on Hatf III (Ghaznavi), and Hatf IV (Shaheen 1). He also announced five million for the welfare of the personnel working on the operational and security side of these projects.