Pakistan says tested ballistic missile under 'Operation INDUS' amid tension with India

Amid the brewing tensions between India and Pakistan following the devastating Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad has claimed that it has successfully tested a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which has the potential to hit targets that are at 450 km. Pakistan confirmed the testing of the missile on Saturday and claimed that the launch was part of Exercise INDUS.

Tensions between India and Pakistan reached their peak after terrorists with links to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group, infiltrated a tourist destination in Pahalgam, Kashmir and killed 26 people. The incident sent shockwaves across India, with New Delhi ramping up its security measures against Pakistan.

The recent launch marks a provocative act from Islamabad that also introduced several other moves, calling them a “tit-for-tat” for India’s action. “The launch 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 Pakistani government said in a statement regarding the missile launch.

Pak PM boasts about military might

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other military chiefs boasted about their “complete confidence in the operational readiness and technical proficiency of the forces to safeguard the country’s national security,” the statement reads.

It is pertinent to note that Pakistan has been regularly violating the Line of Control (LoC), the ceasefire, to provoke India. Besides this, in the past few weeks, several Pakistani leaders have made several provocative statements and indulged in warmongering.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tara had claimed India was planning an attack on the country within 36 hours. However, it has been over 72 hours since he made the claim. In the statement, the Pakistan government noted that it tested the Abdali Weapon System.

The test was conducted at the Sonmiani Ranges and was likely to be part of an operational user trial conducted under the Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC), which is responsible for handling Pakistan’s nuclear-capable missiles. According to the ISPR statement on the matter, the launch was administered by the “President, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and Services Chiefs extended their congratulations to the participating troops, scientists, and engineers.”

“They 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 concluded. India is yet to respond to the launch.