May 29, 2002	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 16,1423

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ISLAMABAD, May 28: Pakistan on Tuesday completed a series of tests of its missile systems with the successful test-fire of a short-range Hatf-II (Abdali) missile.

“We have achieved all our objectives with a series of missile tests,” President’s Spokesman Rashid Qureshi told Dawn by phone.

When asked whether all the missile systems have been tested or some are still in the development stage, Mr Qureshi responded: “All the missile systems, where were necessary, have been tested.”

The president’s spokesman, who is also director-general of Inter-Service Public Relations, did not reply to a question whether these missiles have also been inducted into the Pakistan army.

“Through induction, different people infer different meanings,” he said. When the similar question was rephrased by this reporter, he said he was not sure whether these missiles had been handed over to the Pakistan army. “I will have to check on it,” he added.

Commenting on the tests carried out at the height of tension on the eastern borders, and in the face of intense international pressure on both the South Asia neighbours for exercising restraint, he said: “These tests validated the technical parametres of the system developed by Pakistan.”

Mr Qureshi also declined to confirm reports about deployment of some missiles. “I have no such information,” he added.

“As part of a series of missile tests currently under way, Pakistan today carried out a successful test-fire of its short range indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile Hatf-II (Abdali),” an official announcement said.

“This was the first test of the Abdali missile. This system is capable of carrying warheads accurately up to a range of 180km. The flight data collected confirmed its accuracy and all other design parametres which were successfully validated.”