ISLAMABAD, 4 March 2007 — Pakistan yesterday test-fired a short-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile, its second test within eight days, the military said.
The surface-to-surface “Abdali” has a range of 200 kilometers and is one of the earliest missile systems developed by Pakistan.
“The test was aimed at validation of the desired technical parameters which has been successfully achieved.” Pakistan and arch-rival India routinely carry out missile tests, and have agreed to inform each other of tests in advance.
Pakistan tested the Shaheen II missile with a range of 2,000 km on Feb. 23, two days after signing a historic deal with rival India to cut the risk of atomic weapons accidents.
The foreign ministers of Pakistan and India met in New Delhi in February and signed an accord to reduce the risk of accidents linked to their nuclear arsenals. The Hatf-II was last reported to have been tested in February 2006.
Diplomats have discerned no pattern in the timing of missile tests in the past.
