Tensions Surge as Pakistan Test-Fires Ballistic Missile Amid Kashmir Crisis
Wafric News | May 3, 2025
As tensions with India escalate over a deadly attack in Kashmir, Pakistan has test-fired a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, raising fears of military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
As tensions with India escalate over a deadly attack in Kashmir, Pakistan has test-fired a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, raising fears of military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In what officials described as a routine training exercise, the Pakistan Army on Saturday launched the Abdali Weapon System, a tactical ballistic missile with a range of 450 kilometres. The government said the test was aimed at confirming the operational readiness of its forces and validating the missile’s advanced navigation system and maneuverability features.
But with the timing coinciding with heightened hostility following the April 22 attack that killed 26 civilians — including 25 Indian tourists — in Indian-administered Kashmir, the launch has drawn global attention.
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the successful test, applauding the scientists and military personnel behind the operation. The Abdali missile, named after Ahmad Shah Abdali, a historic military leader from the 18th century, is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
The missile test comes just days after Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, warned that Islamabad had “credible intelligence” suggesting India was preparing a military strike in retaliation for the Kashmir killings. India has blamed Pakistan-based militants for the attack — a charge Islamabad has strongly denied.
The development is the latest in a string of flashpoints between the two countries, who have fought multiple wars and endured decades of mistrust since their independence from British rule in 1947. The Kashmir region, claimed in full by both nations, remains the heart of their long-standing dispute.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam killings, granted his military "full operational freedom" and vowed to pursue the perpetrators “to the ends of the Earth.” In response, Pakistani officials accused India of fabricating a “false pretext” for aggression.
Tensions have already spilled over into diplomatic expulsions, suspension of border crossings, and the temporary freeze of key bilateral agreements. India recently paused its role in the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, while Pakistan has threatened to withdraw from the 1972 Simla Agreement, which underpins the Line of Control (LoC) — the de facto border in Kashmir.
Over the past week, cross-border firing has also been reported along the LoC. Meanwhile, Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir chaired an emergency military briefing, stressing the need for “proactive readiness” and increased vigilance across all fronts.
As fears of escalation mount, residents in Indian-administered Kashmir say they are bracing for the worst. Many worry that another full-blown conflict — between two nations with nuclear capabilities — could trigger regional instability with devastating human consequences.
With both sides entrenched in a familiar cycle of blame and brinkmanship, international observers are calling for urgent de-escalation. But for now, the shadow of conflict looms large over South Asia.
By WafricNews Desk.
By WafricNews Desk.
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