Pakistan:  Officials Test Second Ballistic Missile in Five Days

Pakistan today successfully fired a Shaheen-series ballistic missile, its second such test in five days (see GSN, Oct. 7).  The test of the nuclear-capable missile, also known as the Hatf 4, was needed to develop the missile further, defense officials said.

“This test was in continuation of the one conducted on Oct. 4, 2002 to validate certain additional parameters,” the Defense Ministry said.

Indian officials dismissed the two recent missile tests as posturing in preparation for general elections in Pakistan beginning Thursday.

“The tests are aimed at Pakistan’s domestic audience and has more to do with their internal politics than anything else,” a senior Indian official said (Thomas Marzahl, Agence France-Presse, Oct. 8).

Back to top

Pakistan:  Officials Plan Ballistic Missile Test

Close on the heels of a missile test Friday, Pakistan has announced it plans to fire another Shaheen-series missile tomorrow (see GSN, Oct. 4).

President Pervez Musharraf approved the test of the Hatf 4, which is capable of reaching all Indian military sites, the Islamabad News reported today (News, Oct. 7).

India test-fired a surface-to-air missile shortly after Pakistan’s test Friday but is not planning to do the same tomorrow, AFX reported today (AFX, Oct. 7).

Indian officials did, however, accuse China of aiding Pakistan’s nuclear program (see GSN, Feb. 4).

“It is well known that Pakistan’s missiles are based on clandestinely imported material, equipment and technology,” Nirupama Rao, an Indian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said after Friday’s test flights.

A top official made more direct accusations over the weekend.

“Everyone knows what Pakistan will be without China,” Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes said Saturday.  “Its ego is boosted purely by the support it gets from China” (Ranjit Devraj, Inter Press Service/TerraViva, Oct. 7).

The United States has expressed displeasure with the tests.

“There is a charged atmosphere in the region.  These tests can contribute to that atmosphere, make it harder to prevent a costly and destabilizing nuclear missile arms race,” U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said.  “A race like that would be a further threat to regional and international security” (U.S. State Department release, Oct. 4).

Back to top

Pakistan:  Officials Test-Fire Shaheen Missile

Pakistan test-fired a Shaheen surface-to-surface missile today, government officials said.  The missile, also known as a Hatf 4, can carry nuclear or conventional warheads and has a range of 380 miles, according to officials.

Pakistani officials played down the significance of the tests and said its neighbor and rival India should not be alarmed (see GSN, June 19).  India was notified in advance of the tests, they said.

“This is a sort of routine test,” an army spokesman said (see GSN, May 28).

“It has nothing to do with anything but to test the technical aspects of the missile,” said a Foreign Ministry spokesman

The last missile test that Pakistan conducted was in May, according to the Associated Press (see GSN, May 21; Associated Press/New York Times, Oct. 4).

India dismissed today’s test as playing to elections next week in Pakistan.

“As we have said before, we are not particularly impressed with these missile antics of Pakistan,” an Indian government spokeswoman said (CNN, Oct. 4).

Back to top

Iran:  Shahab Missile Designed to Oppose Israeli Counterpart, Official Says

Iran developed its Shahab missile for the purpose of retaliating against possible Israeli strikes, the Jerusalem Post reported today (see GSN, July 10).

The Shahab was designed to hit Israel and counter the Israeli Jericho missile, Ahmed Wahid, head of Iran’s missile development said Thursday.  Wahid did not specify the version of the Shahab to which he was referring.

The comments may have been made in light of a possible U.S. conflict with Iraq, experts said.

“This could be seen as a warning to America and perhaps to Israel not to even consider trying to carry out any operations against Iran during a strike on Iraq,” professor Gabriel Ben-Dor, of the University of Haifa, said.

Iran is not trying to develop missiles that can reach the United States, Wahid said.

“American territory is not part of our strategic defense targets,” Wahid said.

Contrary to reports and U.S. assertions, Iran is not attempting to develop nuclear weapons, Wahid said, and Iran’s interest in missiles is only for retaliatory strikes.

“Israel has 200 nuclear warheads,” Wahid said.  “We have no nuclear weapons and we are not trying to obtain them.  If there is a strike against us, however, we will respond with all our abilities” (David Rudge, Jerusalem Post, Oct. 4).

Back to top

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP