Satellites Detect Pak IRBMs Near LoC

May 23, 2002

Satellite pictures show 82 Pakistani short-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles close to the Line-of-Control opposite the Jammu sector.

Defence ministry officials said that the missiles on mobile launchers aimed against India are moved close to the border every night.

The missiles are removed in the day and kept at sub-station command control near the Sialkot sector.

Indian intelligence detected these missile movements five days ago.

Officials were initially puzzled by these movements and attributed it to the annual maintenance check of missile stores at Pakistan’s Sargoda missile base.

The Sargoda missile base was activated last week.

Pakistan has seven missile stores and sub-station command centres fronting Indian border areas.

Officials say that Pakistan has deployed 44 short-range (100-150-kilometre range) Hatf-2 and Hatf-3 missiles in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir along the LoC facing Akhnoor-Chumb-Samba sector.

The remaining 38 Shaheen, Ghauri-1 and Ghauri-2 missiles are on mobile launchers and moved from place to place.

Pakistan has about 150-200 Ghauri-1 and Ghauri-2 missiles of probably North Korean origin.

Satellite pictures have captured batch numbers on Pakistani missile canisters.

Officials suggest that 38 additional IRBMs could have been removed from the peacetime storage centre in the Rawalpindi sector and deployed in forward areas.

The IRBMs on mobile launchers are being brought within 20 kilometres of the LoC for the last four days.
Intelligence Online
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