Pak test fires nuclear-capable missile

The Hatf VII Babur missile has a range of 700 kilometres and can carry all kinds of warheads.

Pakistan on Thursday successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile for the third time, the military said.

HT Image

The Hatf VII Babur missile has a range of 700 kilometres and can carry all kinds of warheads, it said in a statement.

"The Babur... Is a terrain hugging, radar avoiding cruise missile, whose range has now been enhanced to 700 kilometres," it said.

The test was witnessed by the chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Ehsan ul Haq, as well as senior military officials and scientists, it said.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have congratulated the scientists and engineers on this "very important success", it said.

The first test was conducted in 2005 and a second in March last year.