ISLAMABAD, 30 May 2004 — Pakistan successfully tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile yesterday. The firing of the Hatf V surface-to-surface missile, witnessed by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali at an undisclosed location, was Pakistan’s first such test since March.
India said it had received advance notice from Pakistan of yesterday’s test but offered no immediate reaction.
“We have successfully test-fired today (the) nuclear-capable 1,500-km (930-mile) range Hatf V missile,” military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said.
A military statement later said the test was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to improve Pakistan’s missile systems.
“The test was in continuation of the series of tests which are conducted by Pakistan from time to time to validate various improvements in the qualitative parameters of its vast range of ballistic missiles inventory,” the statement said.
The test came a week after a new government took office in India.
South Asia is seen as one of the world’s most likely scenes for a nuclear confrontation with Pakistan and India having fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947. The two countries carried out tit-for-tat nuclear tests in May 1998, sparking international condemnation.
However, their bilateral relations have improved dramatically since April last year after a year-long military stand-off which was defused by US-led international diplomatic efforts.
Analysts said the timing of the test was significant because it came about a week after it was announced that talks between Pakistan and India on nuclear issues had been postponed at the request of the new Indian government.
New Delhi asked for the May 25-26 talks on nuclear confidence-building measures to be rescheduled because of the change of India’s leadership. A Congress party-led government was sworn in last Saturday after a surprise win in general elections.
Analyst Mohammad Afzal Niazi said: “The test sends a message that New Delhi should be talking about it.”
— Additional input from agencies
