LAHORE: Earlier on April 26, 2012 when news broke of Pakistan testing its new Intermediate Ballistic Missile Hatf-IV (Shaheen-1A), Terminal X contacted Brigadier Ateeq ur Rehman, Director PR for the Pakistani military's Inter-Services Public Relations regarding the range of the latest variant. This scribe was informed that the range has not been disclosed for various reasons.
Later today, a Pakistani military source for TX made an important disclosure: the mysterious range everyone was guessing for the Shaheen-1A is not 2500 kilometers or 5000 kilometers as some exaggerated, it has a maximum range of just 1500 kilometers. According to the official, there were two main objectives of this short test:
Enhance accuracy for pinpoint attacks
Inclusion into the league of nations which have developed intermediate ballistic missiles.
The official stated that Pakistan's deterrence is foremostly against any aggressive Indian adventurism that can turn the region into an inferno. In the official's opinion, India carried out the recent Agni-V ICBM test to send an indirect signal to its rival China, whom it has strong reservations against for various reasons.
It was also revealed by the official that India's military establishment has not shared the actual range of the Agni-V ICBM which happens to be 8000 kilometers, not 5000 kilometers as falsely broadcast in the mainstream media.
"Pakistan possesses various ICBMs which have a range of 9000+ kilometres", said the official, "But they will be revealed and tested when there is a need for it. At the moment, Pakistan is silently observing the Eastern Theatre of Operations spearheaded by the US and its increasing presence in Europe, the Pacific Ocean and South Asia. Add to that Indian frolicking and the coming US-Israel drills in the Middle East... and when the time comes, those who should know, will know, Pakistan also has targets beyond India... way beyond India".
He added, "A wise group does not consider the Agni-V test as a threat for Pakistan but rather for China, and China is smart enough to deal with it. The military establishment is not really considering ICBM tests soon since we consider silence as the ultimate weapon.
It might be that Israel signaled India to provoke Pakistan into doing an ICBM test and exposing their exact range so that an international conspiracy against the country's nukes could be initiated as is being currently done against North Korea. Far from being slapped with sanctions, India instead received appreciation from the US, NATO and Israel for its recent test".
And, as this scribe repeated the million dollar question, 'Any ICBM tests in the pipeline?'
"Well, yes.. My vote is not for it though".
Exclusive: Pakistani security official discusses the Shaheen-1A test ~ Terminal X
