21-12-10 Pakistan Launches Nuke-Ready Missile

Pakistan conducted a test flight today of its medium-range,nuclear-capable Ghauri Hatf 5 ballistic missile,Agence France-Presse reported.The test occurred at the conclusion of a drill conducted for assessing the preparedness of the Pakistani army's strategic force command,the country's military said in a press release."You have made the nation proud and we salute you for your outstanding work," Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told a group of engineers and scientists.Gilani watched the test alongside scientists and high-level military officials including Gen.Khalid Shahmeem Wyne,chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,according to the military statement.Pakistan's atomic arsenal and other military preparations could be a source of pride for the South Asian nation,Gilani said.Islamabad intends to further bolster the systems,which undergird the government's strategy for addressing threats."The test amply demonstrates the credibility of our minimum deterrence strategy,which is the cornerstone of our security policy and ensures peace in the region," Gilani said."It also sends the right signals internationally that Pakistan's defense capability is impregnable and should never be challenged." Islamabad possesses a stockpile of short-,medium- and long-range missiles,deployed primarily as a deterrent against nuclear-armed rival and neighbor India.The Ghauri Hatf 5 can fly up to 800 miles,AFP reported."Let there be no doubt that Pakistan's armed forces are highly professional,motivated and fully capable of safeguarding Pakistan's security against all types of aggression," the prime minister said.