ISLAMABAD, May 27: Pakistan on Sunday successfully testfired its newly-developed short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hataf-III (Ghaznavi).

This was announced by the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) in a press release.

It said: “This was the first test of the Ghaznavi missile which is capable of carrying warheads accurately up to a range of 290kms.”

According to an ISPR release, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Aziz Ahmad Khan told scientists, research scholars and others after the firing of Ghaznavi missile that the question of the size of Pakistan had now become meaningless.

Gen Aziz, who was present in the monitoring room with corps commander Lt-Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi, describing the technical details of the test said the missile’s take-off was perfect, re-entry stage was excellent, and target impact was highly accurate.

Chairman JCSC said mere presence of any weapon was not enough, it was a dedicated team which formed defence deterrence of a country.

The concentration of troops on our borders and coercive attitude of any power could not frighten the valiant armed forces of Pakistan, Gen Aziz said.—APP