Pakistan tests missile weapons system as tension mounts
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's military said it carried out a 'training launch' of a surface-to-surface missile weapons system on Saturday, further heightening tensions with India after last month's deadly attack in disputed Kashmir. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on tourists last month in Indian-administered Kashmir, sparking a fresh stand-off between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistan's military said Saturday it conducted a 'successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System', a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers. 'The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile's advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features,' Pakistan's military said in a statement. It did not say where the test took place.
The missile training launch comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has given his military 'full operational freedom' to respond to the attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack and called for an independent probe. This week Islamabad warned of an imminent air strike from its neighbor, and has repeatedly made clear it will respond with force to any aggression by India.
International pressure has been piled on both New Delhi and Islamabad—who have fought several wars over the disputed Kashmir region—to de-escalate. Neighboring China has urged 'restraint', with the European Union warning Friday that the situation was 'alarming'. In an interview with Fox News, US Vice President JD Vance called on India to respond to the attack in a way 'that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict'. He also urged Pakistan to 'make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with'.
'Message to the world'
Analysts in Pakistan told AFP the missile launch was a warning shot. 'It clearly indicates that we have resources to counter India. This is not a message only for India but the rest of the world that we are well-prepared,' said Hasan Askari Rizvi, a military analyst. On Friday, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir presided over a meeting of his top commanders about the 'current Pakistan-India standoff', a military statement said. Munir 'underscored the critical importance of heightened vigilance and proactive readiness across all fronts'. Since the attack—the deadliest in Kashmir on civilians in years—India and Pakistan have exchanged tit-for-tat diplomatic barbs and expulsions, and shut border crossings.
The two sides have exchanged gunfire for nine consecutive nights along the militarized Line of Control, the de facto border, according to Indian defense sources. Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region of around 15 million people, is divided but claimed in full between Pakistan and India. Rebels on the Indian side have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India regularly blames its neighbor for backing gunmen behind the insurgency. Islamabad denies the allegation, saying it only supports Kashmir's struggle for self-determination and regularly denounces rights abuses in the region.
India bans imports
Meanwhile, India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region. India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification that the ban would take effect immediately. 'This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy,' it said.
Suspected militants killed at least 26 people in last week's attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley. The Muslim-majority Himalayan region is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and has been the focus of several wars, an insurgency and diplomatic standoffs. India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, which Islamabad denies. Pakistan has said it has 'credible intelligence' that India intends to launch military action. Pakistan's retaliatory measures have included halting all border trade, closing its airspace to Indian carriers and expelling Indian diplomats.
It has also warned that any attempt to prevent the flow of river water promised under a decades-old treaty would be considered an act of war. On Saturday, India said Pakistani-flagged ships would not be allowed to visit any Indian port, and Indian flagged-ships would not visit any ports in Pakistan. 'This order is issued to ensure safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in public interest and for interest of Indian shipping,' the Directorate General of Shipping said in a statement. Trade between the two nations has dwindled over the last few years. — AFP
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