ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday conducted a successful test-fire of Short Range Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile Hatf III (Ghazanavi) which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 290 kilometres.

The successful launch concluded the ongoing field training exercise of strategic missile group of army strategic forces command.

The training launch was witnessed by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mehmood, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command Lieutenant General Obaid Ullah Khan, Chairman National Engineering and Scientific Commission (Nescom) Mr Muhammad Irfan Burney and other senior military officials and scientists.

Addressing the troops in the exercise area, Gen Mahmood commended them on their technical and operational excellence in operating the state-of-the-art weapon system.

He also expressed his satisfaction over the training goals achieved during the exercise and expressed the hope that officers and men entrusted with the task of deterring aggression would continue to maintain professional excellence.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain and Gen Mahmood congratulated all the scientists and engineers for the successful launch of Ghaznavi Missile as another milestone which would strengthen the defence potential of Pakistan besides assuring peace in the region.