ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conducted a successful training launch of a surface-to-surface missile that has a range of 450 kilometers, the Pakistani military said on Saturday, amid heightened tensions with India.
India-Pakistan tensions have soared after New Delhi blamed an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists on April 22, on Pakistan. Islamabad has denied involvement and called for a credible international probe.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the attack, while Pakistan’s top military brass on Friday vowed to defend the country’s sovereignty after a minister said an Indian strike was “imminent.”
“Pakistan today conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System — a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing.
“The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced manoeuvrability features.”
India and Pakistan have exchanged diplomatic barbs, expelled each other’s citizens and shut border since the April 22 attack. India has suspended the 1960 World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, with Islamabad describing it as an “act of war.”
The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire for nine consecutive nights along their de facto border in Kashmir, according to Indian defense officials. There has been no comment by the Pakistani military on the skirmishes.
There have been fears that the latest crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals who have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, could spiral into a military conflict.
Saturday’s missile launch was witnessed by the senior military officials as well as scientists and engineers from Pakistan’s strategic organizations, according to the ISPR.
“The president, prime minister of Pakistan, chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and services chiefs extended their congratulations to the participating troops, scientists and engineers,” it said.
“They expressed complete confidence in the operational preparedness and technical proficiency of Pakistan’s strategic forces to ensure credible minimum deterrence and safeguard national security against any aggression.”
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The region is divided between the two countries, though both claim it in full.
Since 1989, several Kashmiri groups have carried out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan. India accuses Pakistan of supporting these groups — a charge Islamabad denies, insisting it offers only diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
The United Nations (UN), United States, China, which shares its border with Indian and Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and several other countries have urged restraint and asked both sides to resolve the latest crisis through dialogue.
Pakistan test-fires surface-to-surface missile amid strained ties with India
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Pakistan test-fires surface-to-surface missile amid strained ties with India
- India-Pakistan tensions have soared after New Delhi blamed an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists on April 22, on Pakistan
- Islamabad has denied involvement and said India was using the attack as a pretext to conduct strikes against Pakistan, vowing to defend its sovereignty
Pakistan says it is moving toward phased crypto regulation after Binance, HTX approvals
- The country is among the world’s largest crypto adoption markets, with nearly 40 million users
- Bilal bin Saqib says the government is not promoting crypto but moving to regulate the sector
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top virtual asset regulatory official said on Sunday the country was laying the foundation for a phased and tightly supervised crypto framework after granting conditional approvals to two global exchanges, signaling a shift from years of regulatory ambiguity toward formal oversight of digital assets.
The Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) said this week it had issued no objection certificates (NOCs) to global crypto exchanges Binance and Huobi (HTX). Pakistan has also signed a memorandum of understanding with them to explore what the finance ministry described as the “tokenization” of up to $2 billion in sovereign bonds, treasury bills and commodity reserves, an initiative aimed at boosting liquidity and attracting investors.
“The no objection certificate given to Binance and Huobi is the first practical step of this new thinking,” PVARA chief Bilal bin Saqib said at a briefing. “Let me make it clear that this NOC is not a shortcut. This is not a blanket approval.”
He said the approvals marked the start of a risk-mitigated, phased and supervised entry framework, adding that platforms would be subject to strict anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements, ownership transparency checks and enforcement-linked licensing timelines.
“This is not a new experiment,” he said, pointing to phased regulatory approaches adopted in financial centers such as Dubai, the United Kingdom and Singapore, where firms are first brought under supervision before being allowed to expand operations.
Pakistan is among the world’s largest crypto adoption markets, with estimates putting the number of users between 30 and 40 million, despite the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework. Saqib said ignoring the sector was no longer viable, warning that unregulated adoption posed greater risks to the economy and consumers.
“We don’t want to promote crypto,” he said. “We want to regulate crypto. Adoption is already there.”
He said the framework was designed to prepare Pakistan for longer-term developments in digital finance, including tokenized assets, compliance technology, blockchain analytics and digital payment infrastructure, while ensuring that local talent is channeled into regulated and productive use.
“For the international community, the message is clear,” Saqib said. “Pakistan is not running away from innovation. Pakistan is welcoming innovation. Pakistan is regulating innovation.”
