Pakistan and India both test nuclear-capable missiles

Pakistan test-fired a short-range nuclear-capable missile today with range to hit parts of India, the Foreign Ministry said, shortly after India announced a a similar missile test.

"Pakistan has also test fired a missile today, but we informed India about it," said Aziz Ahmed Khan, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry.

Khan said Pakistan was taken by surprise by New Delhi's announcement earlier today that India had fired off a Prithvi missile from the Chandipur missile testing range in Orissa state.

"They didn't tell us about it beforehand," he said.

He said Pakistan tested one of its Abdali missiles, which can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads and have a range of less than 130 miles. He would not say where the missile test was conducted, or whether it occurred before or after the Indian test.

Pakistan and India have carried out tit-for-tat missile tests several times in recent months, and have also expelled several of each other's diplomats.

The nuclear armed South Asian countries have fought three wars since they gained independence from Britain in 1947, and almost fought another one as tensions rose last year. They both rushed hundreds of thousands of troops to their common border before international mediation defused the conflict.