Pakistan test-fires nuclear capable cruise missile

Pakistan Friday successfully test-fired a short-range cruise missile capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads with great pinpoint accuracy, the military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said.     The launch of Hatf VIII, or Ra'ad, missile was conducted by the military's Strategic Missile Group from an undisclosed location.     " The Ra'ad cruise missile, which can carry strategic and conventional weapons over a distance of 350 kilometers, has stealth capabilities, is a low flying, terrain hugging missile with high manoeuvrability and pinpoint accuracy," military spokesman said. Pakistan routinely tests nuclear-capable missiles that are designed to match those of nuclear-armed neighboring archrival India.     The missile was developed for launch from aerial platforms, he said, adding that the system had enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic capability. Cruise technology is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world, it said.    Pakistan's missile arsenal of missiles are mainly aimed at neighbour and archrival India.     The two nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars, two over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, since they gained independence from Britain in 1947 .