Pakistan conducts ballistic missile test amid soaring tensions with India
The surface-to-surface missile, part of the Abdali Weapon System, has a range of 450 kilometers (around 280 miles)
Highlights:
- Pakistan tests ballistic missile with range of 450km
- Test was intended to verify the operational readiness of forces
- It comes amid escalating tensions with India
Pakistan carried out a test launch of a ballistic missile on Saturday, escalating tensions with neighboring India following a deadly shooting last month targeting tourists in the contested Kashmir region.
The military said the surface-to-surface missile, part of the Abdali Weapon System, has a range of 450 kilometers (around 280 miles). The test was intended to verify the operational readiness of forces and the missile's technical capabilities, including an upgraded navigation system and improved maneuverability.
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Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the successful test. These missile launches are typically directed toward the Arabian Sea or remote desert regions like southwestern Balochistan—not toward the Indian border.
India, which has accused Pakistan of involvement in the April 22 gun attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that left several tourists dead—a claim Islamabad has denied—has not responded to the missile launch.
India's navy conducted its own military exercises on April 27, confirming it had performed anti-ship missile tests to demonstrate its platforms' readiness for precision strikes.
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar recently claimed the country had "credible intelligence" that India was planning to launch an attack soon.
Kashmir remains a deeply contested territory, with both nations claiming it in full while controlling different parts.
