Pakistan Navy successfully test-fires anti-ship missiles

(Screengrab from Twitter video)

Islamabad: The Pakistan Navy on Saturday successfully test-fired a series of anti-ship missiles in the North Arabian Sea, a spokesman said. The missiles were fired from surface ships, fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, the Navy's spokesperson Rear Admiral Arshid Javed said.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi witnessed the firing of the missiles, he said in a statement. "The anti-ship missiles were fired at the sea level by warships and aircraft," according to the statement.

The successful demonstration of missile firing is a testament to the Pakistan Navy's operational capability and military readiness, the official said.

On the occasion, Admiral Abbasi said, "Pakistan Navy is fully capable to respond enemy's aggression befittingly."

The Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral M Arshid Javed took to Twitter to share the information of the test-fire of the missiles. "PakNavy conducted Live Weapon firing of Anti-Ship Missiles from Surface & Aviation units in North Arabian Sea. CNS, Adm Zafar Mahmood Abbasi witnessed LWF as Chief Guest & said that PN is always ready to thwart any aggression against Pakistan's maritime frontiers," he said in a tweet.

#PakNavy conducted Live Weapon firing of Anti-Ship Missiles from Surface & Aviation units in North Arabian Sea. CNS, Adm Zafar Mahmood Abbasi witnessed LWF as Chief Guest & said that PN is always ready to thwart any aggression against Pakistan’s maritime frontiers pic.twitter.com/7v1OAOzo6p — Rear Admiral M Arshid Javed DGPR Navy (@dgprPaknavy) April 25, 2020

The Navy did not divulge more details of the drill which has taken place amidst the continued chill in the Indo-Pak relations.

Relations between the two countries are strained and they further nose-dived after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August last year. Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India and expelled Indian High Commissioner.

India has maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter of India and does not want anyone's interference in it.