Amid tensions, Pak tests ballistic missile

New Delhi The Pakistani military carried out a test firing of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Saturday, an exercise being seen by India as a “blatant provocation” and an attempt to whip up tensions, people familiar with the matter said.

Pakistan conducted the launch of the missile, with a range of 450 km, hours after Indian authorities said that Islamabad’s plan to test a ballistic missile was a “reckless act of provocation”. Experts said the version of the missile tested by Pakistan has a range that is double that of previous versions of the Abdali or Hatf-II missile.

The launch, conducted at an undisclosed location, was “aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops” and “validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), or the Pakistan military’s media arm, said in a statement.

After the launch, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and the three service chiefs “expressed complete confidence in the operational preparedness and technical proficiency of Pakistan’s Strategic Forces to ensure credible minimum deterrence and safeguard national security against any aggression”, the statement said.

The ISPR statement said the “successful training launch” of the Abdali weapon system was part of “Exercise Indus”.

The codename for the military drill appeared to be linked to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over New Delhi’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty as part of punitive measures against Islamabad over the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan’s leadership has said any attempt to stop or divert the country’s share of river waters under the Indus Waters Treaty will be seen as an “act of war”.

Hours before the test, HT was the first to report that Indian authorities perceived the planned Pakistani ballistic missile test as a “reckless act of provocation” and a “dangerous escalation” of Islamabad’s “hostile campaign” against New Delhi. The people cited above said on condition of anonymity that Saturday’s test was a “blatant provocation” and an “attempt to whip up tensions with India”.

The people said in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan had issued naval warnings, ramped up drills in the Arabian Sea, and indulged in continuous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border in Jammu and Kashmir.

It is understood the Pakistani side provided advance notification to the Indian side about the missile test in line with the agreement on pre-notification of flight testing of ballistic missiles of 2005. This pact requires both sides to provide advance notification of the flight testing of land- or sea-launched, surface-to-surface ballistic missiles.

The Abdali is a land-based tactical ballistic missile that is already in service with Pakistan’s strategic forces. The road-mobile, solid propellant missile was earlier reported to have a range of 180 km to 200 km.

The missile launch was witnessed by the commander and senior officials of the Pakistan Army’s Strategic Forces Command and the Strategic Plans Division, which is responsible for the country’s nuclear arsenal, and scientists and engineers from strategic organisations.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the national resolve to deal a “crushing blow to terrorism” and gave India’s armed forces “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of the response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

On Wednesday, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar told a media briefing his country will not resort to any escalatory action but will respond “very strongly” to any escalatory move by India. The Pakistani side has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack and called for an independent investigation into the incident.