ISLAMABAD, 20 March 2005 — President Pervez Musharraf vowed to further upgrade Pakistan’s nuclear capability but with a “strict adherence” to non-proliferation as he watched the test firing of long-range nuclear-capable Shaheen 2 ballistic missile.

The Shaheen 2 test comes two days after the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Pakistan, after praising the country’s peace process with India.

Director General ISPR Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan said Musharraf was the chief guest at the occasion.

Musharraf in his address said, “The nation’s nuclear capability, which enjoyed the broadest national consensus, was developed for Pakistan’s own security and will continue to receive the highest national priority,” a military statement quoted Musharraf as saying.

The military ruler attempted to allay apprehensions about the future of the program after fresh disclosures about the activities of disgraced nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan.

“The capability was here to stay, will continue to go from strength to strength and no harm will ever be allowed to come to it,” he said.

Pakistan admitted last week that Qadeer had supplied Iran with centrifuges, used to enrich uranium for atomic warheads. It said the government was not involved but has refused to give him up for questioning by other countries.

Qadeer, who is considered a national hero in Pakistan and is the father of its nuclear bomb, confessed in February 2004 to leaking secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya after a government probe into nuclear proliferation.

He was pardoned by Musharraf but has been living under virtual house arrest in Islamabad.

“The president reiterated Pakistan’s policy of consolidating and strengthening its minimum deterrence needs, as well as strict adherence to non-proliferation,” the statement said. Yesterday’s firing of the Shaheen 2 surface-to-surface missile was a success, it said.

“This missile system, which incorporates advanced two-stage solid motor technology, can carry all types of conventional and nuclear warheads to a range of 2,000 km.

“The test was carried out to verify some of the refined technical parameters ... all parameters were validated.” Musharraf congratulated the scientists and engineers on the test and said, “The nation is proud of its strategic organizations and strategic forces.” — Additional input from Agence France Presse.