Pakistan's military said a Long-range missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead was successfully launched Monday for the first time during a field Exercise, the Associated Press reported. The launch «validated the operational readiness of a strategic missile group equipped with the Shaheen II missile,» the military said. The Shaheen II, also known as the Hatf VI, has previously been test-fired a number of times by scientists and engineers. The army says the missile has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles). Navy Chief Adm. Muhammad Afzal Tahir congratulated those responsible for the exercise on the «successful launch and the accuracy of the missile at the target,» the military said in a statement. Tahir said Pakistan could be proud of the «reliability of its nuclear deterrence» and that the country would further enhance its nuclear capability.
