Pakistan Successfully Test Fires Ballistic Missile Ghaznavi Amidst Heightened Tensions With India

Amidst heightened tension with India, Pakistan successfully test-fired the launch of a surface-to-surface ballistic missile dubbed as Ghaznavi on Wednesday late night.  

In a tweet, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Thursday said, “Pakistan successfully carried out night training launch of surface to surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi.” “The missile is capable of delivering multiple types of warheads up to 290 kilometres,” he added.  

According to Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan conveyed appreciation to the team and congratulations to the nation for the successful testing of the missile.  

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Take a look at Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor’s tweet:  

Pakistan successfully carried out night training launch of surface to surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi, capable of delivering multiple types of warheads upto 290 KMs. CJCSC & Services Chiefs congrat team. President & PM conveyed appreciation to team & congrats to the nation. pic.twitter.com/hmoUKRPWev

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 29, 2019

The development comes at least three months after Pakistan conducted a successful training launch of Shaheen-II, a surface-to-surface ballistic missile. Back in January this year, Pakistan conducted successful launch of the tactical ballistic missile Nasr as part of the Army Strategic Forces Command training exercise. 

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It is worth mentioning here that the tension between India and Pakistan is currently at peak due to Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently bifurcated Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Along with the bifurcation, Article 370 – which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir – was removed. Also, the Article 35A of the Indian Constitution, which empowers Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents, was scrapped. 

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The move of the Indian government was appreciated across the country. The change in status of Jammu and Kashmir means that a better-coordinated security force would be on the LoC keeping a tighter vigil on Pakistan's activities in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir including Gilgit-Baltistan. Due to the move, Pakistan was irked and approached to the United Nations. 

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