M A I N   N E W S

Pak test-fires Shaheen

Islamabad, October 4
Pakistan today “successfully” test-fired a medium range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf-IV, which can carry nuclear warheads and hit targets within the range of 750 km covering several parts of India.

An official announcement here said the indigenously built missile was test-fired after a due notification was given to the neighbours.

The test was to check the technical aspects of the missile, also known as Shaheen, foreign office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan was quoted by official APP news agency as saying. “It is in line with testing the technical aspects of the indigenously produced missile. It has nothing to do with the Indo-Pak situation but to test the technical aspects of the missile,” he said.

The missile was reported to have been test-fired from a test range on the Somyani coast.

Asked about the current Indo-Pak tension, he said all neighbouring countries were informed prior to the testing of the missile.

India was reportedly informed yesterday evening when the Indian Charge d’ Affaires Sudhir Vyas was called to the foreign office here for a meeting.

London: Britain today expressed concern over the latest missile test by Pakistan in the midst of border stand-off with India and said restraint in developing nuclear weapons and possible delivery systems was in Islamabad’s interest.

“I regret Pakistan’s decision to test a ballistic missile, particularly in the light of the continuing heightened tension in the region,” British Foreign Office Minister Mike O’Brien said. PTI

India test-fires Akash

Balasore, October 4
India today successfully test-fired its most sophisticated medium range surface-to-air missile Akash from the interim test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here, according to official sources.

The indigenously-built multi-target missile was fired from a mobile launcher in clear weather conditions around 4 p.m., the sources said.

Akash, which is one of the five missiles under various stages of development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has a range of 25 km and capability to carry a payload of 55 kg.

The missile, with capability to strike several targets simultaneously, is supported by a state-of-the-art radar named Rajendra, which can keep track of 64 aircraft within a range of 40 to 60 km.

The 650 kg missile uses an integrated two stage Ramjet rocket propulsion technology.

The technology’s special features are that while a normal rocket had an in-built oxygen supply, the Ramjet rocket drew air during flight for subsequent combustion with a fuel rich propellant.

The missile, which had undergone few test flights earlier to gauge its propulsion and range parameters, was aimed today to monitor its guided system, the sources said.

Asked about the timing of the Akash missile test-firing, a Defence Ministry spokesman in New Delhi said, “It was a routine test as user trials have been taking place”.

He said only last week the shorter range Trishul surface-to-air missile was successfully test-fired.

A DRDO official said more such tests of both the Trishul as well as Akash were on the anvil. PTI

Test provocative, says India
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 4
Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal today said Pakistan’s test-firing of Hatf-IV medium-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile was “a provocation to the international community and a further act of irresponsible behaviour.”

Answering questions at a press conference, he described Pakistan’s missile test as “antics” as these were clandestinely-procured missiles already made and tested elsewhere.