- AP (File Photo)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's military says it has successfully test-fired a cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
An army statement says the Hatf-VII or Babur missile, which has a range of 700 kilometres (435 miles), was test-fired from a specially equipped vehicle in an undisclosed location Monday.
The statement says the missile has stealth features and can fly very close to the ground.
Pakistan has tested the missile in the past. Senior army officials and scientists attended Monday's test launch.
Pakistan and its nuclear-armed rival neighboring India routinely test different versions of their missiles.
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On DawnNews
Comments (56) Closed
Secular Pakistan
Sep 17, 2012 01:34pm
A country that is hollowed from inside out and needs massive international aid to sustain itself, cannot defend its borders. The military is the biggest drain on the Pakistani public and it has little to show for in its past performance. Internal strength, through education and human development ensures long term security of a country. Let's work on getting clean water, electricity, basic edcuation and healtcare to our citizens before we go out and turn on these wasteful fire crackers for a feel good day.
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ray
Sep 17, 2012 02:34pm
Well Said!
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Devil
Sep 18, 2012 10:59pm
:-) you seem to be overly optimistic ...
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Tahir Alam
Sep 17, 2012 10:38am
It is good to see that we are making progress in making our defense better, and it should be done, but now we need to focus more on our internal problems.
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IA
Sep 18, 2012 03:16am
Dawn should have posted picture of the babur missile....details details !!!
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miw
Sep 17, 2012 10:08am
Corrupts will go. Electricity problem will be solved.
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miw
Sep 18, 2012 07:40am
Dear friend, Military's job is to defend our home land and i.e. why they are working hard on such things. It is we who need to develope anti-corruption missiles to use against our corrupt politicians. If we choose honest persons then these corrupt politicians will seek refuge in other countries leaving us back to work for our nation.
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Alcock
Sep 17, 2012 03:04pm
We can send it over and you can see for yourself.
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Wajid
Sep 17, 2012 10:28am
So Dilawer and Ahsan, what stops you praising atleast this good deed by Pakistan... you think should we also be in same miserable condition in defence which we are in other... like electricity
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Humayun
Sep 17, 2012 09:06am
That is excellent news. Despite all deprivations and squabbles in the country, the defenses of the country must be impregnable. Once the borders are secure, all other ills can be sorted out.
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Cyrus Howell
Sep 17, 2012 12:53pm
"Short range missile test fire are not sufficient in this modern era for self defence."
.
Of course not. It is nothing more than advertising.
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Vairamuthu (Coimbatore, South India)
Sep 17, 2012 02:58pm
With billions of rupees draining into the military, both India and Pakistan will never improve to the standards of other western countries. How many people in India and Pakistan suffering from poverty and both governments spending loads of money into military. God save both India and Pakistan.
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Shafiq
Sep 17, 2012 12:51pm
Dilawer! If this is what your real name is! Do not confuse defense with other internal problems. They are not related. If you have no idea as to why these tests are conducted on routine basis then you have a meager knowledge. Be positive and offer solutions rather then being sarcastic.
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jahanzaib
Sep 17, 2012 08:44am
hamesha rotay rehna always complain.
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Devil
Sep 18, 2012 10:57pm
agreed, no matter whether we have food, water, electricity, education or not but we must have missiles... no matter if thousands gets killed by our home-grown terrorists but we must have missiles... no matter if we all die due to deprivation, but our money must be invested in missiles program ... Amen, lets make Pakistan a missile capital of the world...
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qamer
Sep 17, 2012 10:32am
Agreed...... But army , politicians and bureacrates are born to exploit this country.....they are free to do what ever they wishes on the name of national security
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Bill Maher
Sep 18, 2012 05:51am
Of course we all know that "Complete Security is a fallacy". There comes a point of diminishing returns.
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Indrajeet kr.
Sep 18, 2012 12:59am
Good to see that my neighbour is progressing in some areas...Just keep it up!!
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Wajid
Sep 17, 2012 10:22am
one should not crossed the red lines, You need not to know every thing, just sleep well coz there are men guarding guarding your boarders...
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eli
Sep 17, 2012 09:03am
hahahah nice saying
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drtariq
Sep 17, 2012 11:17am
agreed
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imran
Sep 17, 2012 10:23am
So when are the borders secure another 50 years?
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Indrajeet kr.
Sep 18, 2012 12:42am
I agree with you...!
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Dr Dang
Sep 17, 2012 01:22pm
What Ahtasham is saying is that .. these weapons are not useful since Pakistan cannot use them on its own territory on bad Taliban or on the US forces..It Can be used in war against India ; which isn't happening.You rather use those millions in other areas which benefit people of pakistan.. rather than making weapons.
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Vikas
Sep 17, 2012 12:55pm
To all my Pakistani counter parts over here:- Was it running on water kit recently developed by Pakistani Engg?
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Dilawer
Sep 17, 2012 06:57am
No need for photo for this News. Everyone knows what a flying missile looks like.
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Maju
Sep 17, 2012 09:02am
I think maybe you should do something than just reading the news
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Ahsan
Sep 17, 2012 07:02am
I think besides getting worried about nuclear power Pakistan should worry about electric power.
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Abreez
Sep 17, 2012 11:07am
Picture in the news is not of Babur cruise missile. This is Indian missile's picture.
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iPakistani
Sep 17, 2012 02:03pm
I see the sarcasm in your statement, but unlike Indian Missiles, Pakistani Missiles employ solid-fuel propulsion. Perhaps you should try asking your DRDO to try using the Pakistani water kit for Indian missiles.
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Allah na Bunda
Sep 17, 2012 02:05pm
Nuclear weapons are a deterrent. Pakistan is still on the map because we have nuclear weapons. Nobody has the guts to touch pakistan openly because of our nukes, and that is why, We are being imploded and poisoned internally by countries who are enemeis of OUR Pakistan. Don't care how much corruption there is in Pakistan, I still love Pakistan. I am happy that Pakistan successfully tested a missile that has STEALTH capabilities. Inshallah, when Imran Khan comes into power then you will see how these drones will fall out of the sky for violating the air space of Pakistan. Neither PMLN OR PPP has got the guts to stand up for Pakistan or its people.
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Devil
Sep 18, 2012 10:42pm
do u know for whom these are for ?
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Salim
Sep 17, 2012 02:52pm
Thousands of missiles and atomic weapons could not save USSR from disintegration.These weapons can hardly increase security of Pakistani people.It would be prudent to spend more money on education and health.
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Abdul Hadi
Sep 17, 2012 03:30pm
Very well said, believe lot is relevant for India too. Public policy makers should focus on social sector rather than weapons. Wish these were fire crackers but are not.
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Dilawer
Sep 17, 2012 08:09am
Do we have a capable scientist who can question the program manager (of missiles) to justify the testings. This is public money getting wasted in the name of National defense &security. How do we know that the funds are being spent wisely? Any accountability? Any checks and balance?
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Jamil
Sep 17, 2012 03:50pm
Yea right! Just like you guys put our JF17 picture on Indian government web site, huh?
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BH
Sep 17, 2012 04:00pm
We can see your IMPREGNABLE Defenses daily on your northwet border.
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BH
Sep 17, 2012 04:02pm
And you forgot to specify - "Others countires citizens Taxpayer money" - that are coming as donations.
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zeeshan
Sep 17, 2012 12:59pm
this missile is to counter indian acquisition of ballistic missile defence that's why stealth is added inti it.
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Mr.T
Sep 17, 2012 02:09pm
The Threat Pakistan have doesn't need cruse missile, maybe. But we are commentators who listen to us except other commentators. I hope Army change the tactics of war as our enemy did, they are breaking Pakistan from inside, so why to fight war then, they will win with without it.
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Nabeel
Sep 18, 2012 12:41am
Tax payer money of US aid money. LoL !! How much tax can you collect in anyways...Our Government can even buy enough gas to operate 2 tanks for that amount of money for chris sake!!
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rehan
Sep 17, 2012 10:42am
So you are saying we must stop preparing if we have security issues ?
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Masud
Sep 17, 2012 05:39pm
I wish all Pakistanies start thinking like you, please keep it up
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Masud
Sep 17, 2012 05:32pm
Pakistan does not need nuclear missile we need some kind of ANTI CORRUPTION MISSILE .
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miw
Sep 17, 2012 10:08am
Brother, You are 100% right. God bless Pakistan.
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mazharuddin
Sep 17, 2012 10:06am
Short range missile test fire are not sufficient in this modern era for self defence. The defence lies in destroying the bases of aggressor in its own country or elsewhere and that need to test fire long range missile. There is also the need of a launching pad in Pakistan for launching its satellite in the orbit inorder to explore the resources for mankind in space, No country is cooperating with Pakistan and with other developing countries of middle east in this respect instead have started coveted operations to create disturbance in the region Those countries can not be friend but foe who create hurdles in the progress of the country. Why they have fear from our nation? The only reason they are not honest.
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rehan
Sep 17, 2012 10:47am
Good one ...couldn't agree more....we analyse too much and do nothing at all !
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Mohsin Ali Raziq
Sep 17, 2012 09:25am
( Ahsan) Totally Agree, ! but who would tell them.
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Bilal
Sep 17, 2012 08:19am
I'm all for the Armed Forces having a decent budget for maintaining a high level of security, But in a climate like today's, I don't know whether testing new missiles is the best use of the taxpayers' money, especially when there are other sectors that could do with the money that the defense budget does not NEED. I would much rather they spent money on intelligence capabilities or anything that would be relevant to countering the Taliban and the internal threat we face today, rather than long range missiles
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satti
Sep 17, 2012 08:14am
Pakistan has installed capacity of 22000 MW of electric power but in order to facilitate their families govt has invested a lot in rentals and we are also paying per year interest to IPPs as per agreement even we are not using them and its in billions.
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Dilawer
Sep 17, 2012 08:02am
Agree. We have colliding trains, factories on fire,rampant chaos and instead of low key missile testing we announce to the world that we could be a real laughing stock for the international community. You will be surprised that we can beat our own records for get lower than the lowest.
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Waqar
Sep 17, 2012 08:05am
good one :)
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Dilawer
Sep 17, 2012 08:05am
and, what does this test achieve? What has not been tested so far that the Pak army wants to test right now. Poor design of experiments and that's all I can see. If this is some sort of DVT then that should have been done long time ago. Why pis people off in our neighborhood. We can't put out fire in factory just last week and we are testing missiles. Who are we kidding here??
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Ahtasham
Sep 17, 2012 09:47am
I don't know for whom we are preparing these missiles. Can not stop drone attacks, can not stop terrorism in our country... for whom we preparing..
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Umair
Sep 17, 2012 09:45am
Every 2-3 months. It's either 150, 200, 300, 500 or 700 km range missile being tested. If it would have been a 4000-5000km range of missile then i would be little happier and forgotten about law and order situation, hatred between provinces and different sects, shortage of electricity and gas, poor infrastructure and transportation system (which kills 100 of people each day), fires in factories, poor aviation system etc etc. Pardon my ignorance but why are we always testing low range missiles and spending millions and billions on it when our roots are becoming weak each and every day. Our biggest enemies are inside us and even nuclear capable missile can't destroy them.
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mir aftab
Sep 17, 2012 09:43am
Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry should take suo moto and evaluate the feasibility of such testing and check all defence spendings.
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