ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: Pakistan on Wednesday successfully carried out the training launch of Ghaznavi (Hatf-III) short-range nuclear capable ballistic missile. The Hatf-III was fired at the conclusion of the annual field training exercise of a Ghaznavi Missile group.

The missile has a range of 290km. According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the launch was conducted by a strategic missile group of Pakistan Army’s Strategic Force Command (ASFC) at an undisclosed location. The ASFC also concluded “its highly successful winter collective training wherein various missile groups conducted firing of live ballistic missiles under realistic operational environment”. This was the third test by ASFC troops in recent weeks. Earlier, two other groups had conducted successful launches of Shaheen-I and Ghauri ballistic missiles.

An ISPR official told Dawn that the training launch was different from a test-fire. A test-fire is conducted by scientists while the training launch of missiles already handed over to the army is done by the concerned strategic missile group.