Mid-Range Missile Successfully Tested

A medium-range missile capable of reaching deep within the borders of this nation’s archenemy and neighbor, India, was successfully tested. The test was conducted at the Kahuta nuclear research laboratory about 25 miles northeast of Islamabad, the capital, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. The new missile has a range of 900 miles and is believed capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. In New Delhi, Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes told reporters that Pakistan received help from China to build the new missiles, a charge Islamabad has denied. He also called on the United States to investigate China’s role in Pakistan’s missile program. India tested a similar medium-range missile in 1996 and has deployed its arsenal along the border with Pakistan. Pakistan’s missile, the Ghauri, is named after a 12th century Afghan emperor who attacked India and defeated a Hindu prince, Prithvi--the name India gave to its medium-range missile.