PM Shehbaz Sharif lauds Pakistan's second missile test amid tensions with India: 'Defence in strong hands'

Hindustan Times

05-05-2025

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said the country's defence is in "strong hands" after its military conducted a second missile test amid tensions with India.
"The successful training launch clearly shows that Pakistan's defence is in strong hands," the prime minister said in a statement, according to AFP news agency.
Shehbaz Sharif added that that he was satisfied with the army's "full preparedness for national defence".
Pakistan on Monday test-fired a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 120 kilometres as part of the ongoing exercise INDUS, the country's military said.
'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 accuracy,' the military said in a statement.
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This is the second such test since Saturday, when the Pakistani armed forces tested the Abdali ballistic missile defence system, which has a range of 450km.
Indian authorities said that Islamabad's plan to test a ballistic missile was a 'reckless act of provocation'.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 persons, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
The assault is one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India has vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.
India has announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties.
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The Indian government also cancelled all types of visas granted to Pakistani nationals and ordered them to leave by April 30. India also closed its airspace for flights operated by Pakistan Airlines.
In retaliation, Pakistan announced the suspension of all trade with India, including to and from any third country through Pakistan and barred Indian airlines from using its airspace. Pakistani forces have also been violating ceasefire along the border continuously since the last 10 days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held several high-profile meetings with top government officials and military leaders since April 22.
Last month, Modi said at a key security meeting that the armed forces have full operational freedom to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India's response to the attack.