RAWALPINDI - Pakistan on Monday successfully test-fired a short-range, surface-to-surface Hatf II (Abdali) ballistic missile as part of the process of validation of land based ballistic missile system.
The missile, with a range of 180 kilometres, carries nuclear as well as conventional warheads with high accuracy. It provides an operational level capability to Pakistan’s strategic forces, additional to the strategic and tactical level capability, which Pakistan already possesses.
The test was witnessed by Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic Force Command Lieutenant General Tariq Nadeem Gilani, senior officers from the armed forces, scientists and engineers of strategic organisations.
Online adds: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulated the army, its engineers and all the team involved in the missile system on the successful test of the ballistic missile.