RAWALPINDI: Pakistan on Tuesday conducted a successful training launch of short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf III (Ghaznavi), which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads up to 290km. The successful launch concluded the Field Training Exercise of Strategic Missile Group of Army Strategic Forces Command. The launch was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Rashad Mahmood, Director General Strategic Plans Division Lt Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command Lt Gen Obaid Ullah Khan, Chairman National Engineering and Scientific Commission Muhammad Irfan Burney and other senior military officials and scientists, said an ISPR press release. Addressing the troops in the exercise area, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee commended the troops on achieving technical and operational excellence in operating the state-of-the-art weapon system. He expressed his satisfaction over the training goals achieved during the exercise and expected that the officers and men entrusted with the task of deterring aggression would continue to maintain professional excellence.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2014.