Pakistan says test-fire of medium-range missile a success

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Wednesday successfully test-fired a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 2,750 kilometres (about 1,700 miles), the military said.

In a statement, it said the launch of the medium-range Shaheen-III missile was aimed at “re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system.” The statement didn’t say whether the missile was capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although Pakistan has previously said the missile had such a capability.

The military did not say where the missile was fired from, but such tests are often conducted by Pakistan in the Arabian sea.

President Asrif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated scientists and the military over the successful missile test.

Pakistan’s nuclear and missile program is primarily aimed at countering threats from neighbouring India, which routinely conducts missile tests. Both nations have nuclear arms and have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. The disputed Himalayan region is split between them and claimed by both in its entirety.