Pakistan may test fire another missile, says Musharraf

Mar 9, 2006, 14:24 GMT

Islamabad - President Pervez Musharraf hinted Thursday Pakistan might be close to conducting another missile test, without, however, specifying of which weapon.

Musharraf's indication came during a speech at the National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM), which is an important part of Pakistan's nuclear and missile development establishment.

He also hinted about impending missile testing during his interaction with the local media earlier this week.

Musharraf praised the 'Babur' cruise missile, which Pakistan successfully test-fired in August last year.

'It has all been done indigenously without any outside assistance. I am proud of you and the whole nation is proud of you,' he told Pakistani scientists.

He added that the missile incorporates technologies which have so far been available to only three or four of the most advanced nations of the world.

Pakistan has been test-firing different versions of short and medium range delivery systems since April 1998 when it first conducted testing of the Ghauri-1 intermediate range missile, which can hit targets as far away as 1,500 kilometres and is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads.

Since then, the country has conducted tests of the surface-to-surface long range Shaheen-2 or Hataf-VI, medium range Shaeen-1 (Hatf-4), short-range surface-to-surface Hatf-3 or Ghaznavi and intermediate range ballistic missile Ghauri or Hatf-5.

Ghaznavi, Ghauri and Shaheen-1 have already been handed over to the Pakistan Army's Strategic Force Command.

Musharraf said Pakistan was not into an arms race with anyone but would never compromise on its strategy of defensive deterrence.

'We are not in an arms race but we have to maintain the strategy of defensive deterrence and cannot compromise on that,' he said.