Pakistan has tested a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 450 km (280 miles) amid rising tensions with India over a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region, the "Associated Press" reports, BTA reports.
According to the Pakistani military, the test was aimed at checking the “operational readiness of the troops and key technical parameters“, including the missile's advanced navigation system and improved maneuverability.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the scientists, engineers and everyone involved in the successful test.
Meanwhile, Islamabad called on Gulf countries to mediate to reduce tensions with India following the April 22 attack in the Indian part of Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Hindus.
Indian authorities blamed Pakistan for the attack, but Islamabad denied any involvement. In response to the attack, India announced it was suspending imports of goods from Pakistan. "The measure is being taken in the interest of national security and public policy," India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade said, as quoted by Reuters.
The deadly attack took place in the mountain resort of Pahalgam, part of Indian-administered Kashmir. The predominantly Muslim Himalayan region is the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute between Delhi and Islamabad. Kashmir has often been the scene of fighting, terrorist attacks and diplomatic conflicts over the years.
Pakistan has accused India of preparing for military aggression and has responded with a series of countermeasures, including closing the border to bilateral trade, closing airspace to Indian aircraft and expelling Indian diplomats.
In addition, Islamabad has warned that any attempt to divert the waters of the Indus River - in violation of an international treaty on shared use - will be perceived as an act of war.
Trade between India and Pakistan has declined significantly in recent years, and the current crisis could deepen the division between the two nuclear powers.