Pakistan on Tuesday conducted a successful training launch of the short range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf III (Ghaznavi), which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 290 km.
The successful launch concluded the field training exercise of the strategic missile group of the Army Strategic Forces Command, a statement from the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The training launch was witnessed by the Chairperson, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Rashad Mahmood, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, Lieutenant General Obaid Ullah Khan and other senior military officials and scientists.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Tuesday deplored as unfounded allegations against state institutions in the wake of the attack on Geo TV journalist Hamid Mir.
In a statement he condemned the attack but said it was unfortunate that state institutions were blamed.
Mr. Mir’s brother Amir, also a journalist, had named the ISI and specifically the head of ISI as the person responsible for the attack in Karachi last Saturday.
Separately, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif met Director General ISI Lt. Gen. Zaheer-ul-Islam and briefed him on the internal and external security situation. Gen. Sharif appreciated the role of the ISI in national security.
The ISPR on Saturday evening condemned the attack on Mr. Mir and said that an independent inquiry must be carried out to ascertain facts.
On Sunday, director general ISPR Asim Bajwa rejected all the allegations against the ISI.