Pakistan's missile test heightens tensions

Pakistan has tested a short-range missile named 'Abdali' on Saturday as part of preparations for a military operation amid ongoing tensions with India.

Pakistan's missile test came four days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to give the country's armed forces "complete freedom of action," further heightening tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours over the Pahalgam attack. Some analysts see yesterday's missile test as a message from Pakistan to India. India also conducted a missile test on April 27, five days after the Pahalgam attack.

Meanwhile, India has banned the import of all types of goods from Pakistan. The country has also announced the suspension of postal and parcel services.

On April 22, gunmen killed 26 people, most of them tourists, in a gun attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi has accused Pakistan of being behind the attack. Pakistan has denied the allegations. The attack has sparked renewed tensions between the two arch-rivals.

Pakistan's military said yesterday it had successfully test-fired the short-range Abdali missile. The surface-to-surface missile has a range of up to 450 kilometers. In a statement, the military said the purpose of the test was to ensure the operational readiness of the troops and to verify important technical aspects.

The missile test was conducted as part of the ongoing 'X Sindh' military exercise, Pakistani media Dawn reported, citing the military. The commander of the Army Strategic Forces Command (AFSC), senior officials of the Strategic Plans Division and AFSC, and relevant scientists and engineers from the country were present at the time.

Pakistani analysts are seeing the missile test as a 'warning message'. Military analyst Hasan Askari Rizvi said, 'It clearly indicates that we have the capability to confront India. This is a message not only to India; but also to the rest of the world that we are well prepared.'

A week after the Pahalgam attack, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with relevant stakeholders on April 29. In the meeting, Modi expressed full confidence in the capabilities of the Indian armed forces. He said that the armed forces have complete freedom to decide on the timing, targeting and method of response from India.

After Modi's statement, some fear that India could attack Pakistan at any time. Along with the UN and the US, various countries have been calling on the two countries to show restraint to ease tensions. However, the two countries have been taking countermeasures, including border clashes, cancellation of citizens' visas, suspension of agreements, and expulsion of diplomats.

India announces import ban

India has continued to take action against Pakistan since the Pahalgam attack. As part of this, New Delhi has banned all direct and indirect imports from Pakistan. The decision will be effective immediately, the Indian media outlet The Hindu reported.

The Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a public notice on Friday that the import and transport of all types of goods coming directly or indirectly from Pakistan is now prohibited. This ban will remain in effect until further notice.

India has also banned all types of mail and parcels from Pakistan by air and land, the country's communications ministry said in a public notice yesterday.

Amid these steps, Indian Prime Minister Modi yesterday said that terrorism is the "biggest threat" to humanity. India is committed to taking "strong and decisive" action against terrorists and their sponsors. Indian media PTI reported that Modi said this after meeting Angolan President Joao Lourenço, who is visiting Delhi.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time since the Pahalgam attack yesterday. The two held talks for about half an hour at the Prime Minister's residence in Delhi. The two discussed various issues, including the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.