NEW DELHI, May 3: India considers Pakistan’s test launch of a ballistic missile on Saturday amid escalating tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack as a “blatant” act of “provocation”, people familiar with the matter said.
The Pakistani military said it carried out the launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile that has a range of 450 km.
It is learnt that Islamabad provided prior information to New Delhi about its plan to carry out the missile test as mandated under laid down obligations and norms.
“The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features,” the Pakistan army said in a statement.
The missile launch was part of “Exercise INDUS”, it said but did not provide any details about the exercise.
The people cited above described the missile test as a “blatant act of provocation”.
It is a “desperate attempt” to whip up “tensions” with India, they said. There is no official reaction by India on the Pakistani missile test.
Tensions between India and Pakistan are escalating following last week’s dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
Citing “cross-border linkages” to the horrific attack, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the strike.
Many global powers including the US and European Union have called on both sides to de-escalate tensions while unequivocally condemning the terror strike.
The people cited above also said that Pakistan has been frantically issuing naval warnings, ramping up naval drills in the Arabian Sea, and indulged in continuous ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir since the April 22 terror attack.
India has already asserted that the “perpetrators, backers and planners” of the terror attack must be brought to justice.
In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the terror attack, according to government sources.
Will strike any structure built on Indus River: Pak warns India
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned India that it would strike any structure that is built on the Indus River in “violation of the Indus Waters Treaty”, which was suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Ties between the two neighbouring countries plummeted following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
The defence minister said, “Certainly, if they attempt to build any kind of structure, we will strike it.”
Asif said that building any structure on the Indus River would be seen as “Indian aggression” against Pakistan.
“Aggression is not just about firing cannons or bullets; it has many faces. One of those faces is [blocking or diverting water], which could lead to deaths due to hunger and thirst,” he added.
The defence minister said, “If they make any architectural attempt, then Pakistan will destroy that structure.
“But for now, we are heading to forums available to us, starting from the IWT [Indus Waters Treaty]. We will pursue this matter.”
According to a media report on Friday, Pakistan is planning to issue a formal diplomatic notice to India against its unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.
The decision was made after initial consultations between Pakistan’s ministries of Foreign Affairs, Law, and Water Resources, The Express Tribune reported.
India on Saturday imposed a ban on import of goods coming from or transiting through Pakistan and also entry of Pakistani ships into its ports even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country is committed to take “firm and decisive” action against terrorists and their backers.
In fresh punitive measures against Pakistan that came into effect immediately amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, India also suspended exchange of mails, parcels from the neighbouring country via air and surface routes.
Sri Lankan police on Saturday searched a flight arriving here from Chennai after being tipped off that a suspect linked to the Pahalgam terror attack could be on board, a police spokesperson said.
A statement from the national carrier SriLankan Airlines said that its flight arrived at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport from Chennai at 11:59 am and underwent a comprehensive security inspection upon arrival.
“The search was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board”, the statement said. (Agencies)
