Pakistan test-fires Shaheen-II; Musharraf for improving Missile capability
By Shakeel Tariq - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: As a demonstration of delivery capability, Pakistan on Saturday flight tested its surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile, Shaheen-II, which has the range of 2,000 kilometers.

The second flight test of two-stage solid fuelled Shaheen ballistic missile came exactly one year after it was test-fired for the first time in last March.

President General Pervez Musharraf was present at the launching site as chief guest.

“I congratulate the nation and scientists on the successful flight test of Shaheen-II ballistic missile,” said the President on the occasion. He said that Pakistan remained committed to minimum nuclear deterrence and its non-proliferation policy.

Highest National Priority

In a statement, President Musharraf said Pakistan’s nuclear capability would continue to receive the highest national priority. He said that the nation can rightly be proud of efficiency of its strategic organizations and the strategic forces, adding the entire strategic forces working under the National Command Authority provide a complete deterrence force to the country.

The President said that Pakistan will not only maintain its missiles capability but also improve and expand it according to future requirements.

President Musharraf said, “Our scientists have successfully achieved the two-stage motor separation of the missile launch.” He stated we were expecting .1 (point one) per cent accuracy but obtained 0.5 accuracy which is much more than the expectation.”

Space Exploration

The President expressed the hope that with such a tremendous success the country could venture into space exploration and finally enter into SLV space launch vehicle and also put a man in the space.

Meanwhile, an official statement said that all the parameters of the test were met and test was a complete success. Pakistan had informed all its neighbours about the test in advance through diplomatic channels. Technology compulsions appear to be the reason behind the second flight test of Shaheen-II missile as the DG ISPR, Major General Shaukat Sultan said that the test was meant to evaluate technical parameters of the missiles.

Unlike previous occasions the flight testing was not followed by any jingoistic statements from official quarters. Shaheen-II is a solid fuelled two-stage missile capable of carrying all kinds of warheads weighing a payload of 1,000 kg to a range of 2,000 kilometres.

Magnificent Features

“The two-stage Shaheen-II missile system, which has been indigenously developed by Pakistani scientists and engineers, can carry all types of warheads up to 2,000 km, officials said.

Shaheen-II ballistic missile is part of ‘Hatf’ series which forms the basis of Pakistan’s minimum nuclear deterrence. Most of the ballistic missiles of ‘Hatf’ series have been flight tested.

The latest flight test came within two days of the visit of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. It may not be a coincidence that Pakistan first flight tested Shaheen-II missile two days before the visit of former US Secretary of State Colin Powell to the region.

In the words of defence analysts the nuclear deterrence comprises two components — nuclear device and delivery system. Though the missile systems are also capable of carrying conventional warheads.

However, in case of both Pakistan and India the warheads and delivery systems are kept separately and reportedly so far there has been no matting of two components of nuclear deterrence on either side.

Pakistan missile programme pre-dates its declared nuclear status and some of the nuclear capable missiles in its inventory were flight tested before testing of nuclear device in May-1998. There was no immediate international reaction to Pakistan’s missile test.

PM Congratulates Scientists

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has also congratulated Pakistani scientists, engineers and technicians for successfully carrying out testfire of the long range surface-to-surface Shaheen-II (Hatf VI) missile.

He said that the nation will always remain grateful to them for making its defence strong.

The Prime Minister said that the missile test was part of Pakistan’s policy of maintaining minimum deterrence.

Pakistan, he said, does not harbour aggressive designs against any country and believes in good neighbourly relations and peaceful settlement of disputes.●