By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi Sunday appreciated the scientists for enhancing the defence capabilities of Pakistan, by ensuring peaceful nuclear deterrence.
In a tweet, the president said that successful flight test of nuclear-capable ballistic, Shaheen III, missile gave them confidence and pride in the country’s defence capabilities.
“The successful test conducted of Shaheen III, a nuclear capable ballistic missile gives us confidence and pride in our defense capabilities. Pakistan is safe because our scientists have ensured peaceful nuclear deterrence and delivery. Well done,” he posted on his Twitter handle.
The President’s reaction comes a day after Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar said Pakistan has successfully conducted the flight test of surface-to-surface ballistic missile Shaheen-III, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday.
“The test flight was aimed at re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated through its official Twitter account.
Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated the Pakistan Army on the successful launch and paid tribute to the scientists and soldiers behind the test.
“We are proud to have a professional and globally competent armed forces defending the country,” he said. Pakistan had conducted a test of the same missile last year in January as well.
Shaheen-III is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 2,750 kilometres, which makes it capable of reaching the farthest point in India’s northeast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
It is solid-fuelled and equipped with Post-Separation Altitude Correction (PSAC) system. Solid fuel is suited for rapid response capabilities, while the PSAC feature provides it the ability to adjust the warhead trajectory for greater accuracy and evading anti-ballistic missile defence systems. The missile was first tested in March 2015.
