Pakistani officials state the Abdali Weapon System, with a 450km range, is designed to protect Islamabad from potential attacks.
Pakistan’s military successfully test-launched the Abdali Weapon System, a surface-to-surface missile with a range of approximately 450km (280 miles), according to defense sources. This exercise occurs amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India following a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a Saturday statement, the Pakistani Armed Forces said the launch was conducted earlier that day to “ensure the operational readiness of troops and validate key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features.”
Pakistani military leaders oversaw the exercise. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif voiced confidence in Pakistan’s Strategic Forces’ ability to ensure “credible minimum deterrence and safeguard national security against any aggression.”
Prior to the test, the Hindustan Times reported that Indian authorities viewed Pakistan’s planned missile test as a “reckless act of provocation” and a “dangerous escalation” of Islamabad’s “hostile campaign” against New Delhi.
Relations between Islamabad and New Delhi deteriorated significantly after the deaths of 26 civilians in the Baisaran Valley on April 22.
The Resistance Front, allegedly linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but later reports suggest the group distanced itself. Indian police identified three suspects, alleging that two are Pakistani nationals.
Following the attack, India accused Pakistan of supporting armed militants in cross-border incursions, an accusation Pakistan denies.
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