New Delhi: The country’s defence is in “strong hands”, said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday after its military carried out a second missile test as tensions with India continue to escalate following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
As per AFP news agency, in a statement, Sharif said: “The successful training launch clearly shows that Pakistan’s defence is in strong hands.” Sharif added that that he was satisfied with the army’s “full preparedness for national defence”.
On Monday, Pakistan test-fired a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 kilometres as part of the ongoing exercise INDUS, Pakistan military said.
In a statement, the military said: “The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced accuracy.”
This marks the second test carried out since Saturday, when Pakistan’s military launched the Abdali ballistic missile, a short-range system which can strike targets up to 450 kilometers away.
In response, Indian authorities said that Pakistan’s plan to test a ballistic missile was a “reckless act of provocation”.
Escalating tensions
There has been an escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack which claimed the lives of 26 people on April 22.
The assault was one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama attack. India has pledged to nail the perpetrators of the attack.
India has unveiled a number of punitive actions against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari land border crossing, and downgrading of diplomatic ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conducted a slew of high-profile meetings with top government officials and military leaders since the attack.
