Pakistan Forms New Rocket Troops After Conflict With India

Illustration of pakistan missiles. (Wikimedia Commons/SyedNaqvi90 at English Wikipedia)

The Pakistani announced the formation of the Missile Troops on Wednesday, coinciding with the country's preparations to celebrate its 79th Independence Day.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the troops during a ceremony in Islamabad attended by President Ali Zardi and Pakistani Military Commander Marshal Asim Munir Field, as well as military contingents from Turkey and Azerbaijan.

These rocket forces, equipped with modern technology and capable of targeting enemies from all directions, will significantly increase the country's conventional military capabilities, said PM Sharif, as reported by Anadolu on August 14.

"Pakistan is the only Muslim power and a country with the seventh nuclear power in the world," said the Prime Minister, recalling the contributions of politicians and the military, including Abdul Qadeer Khan, who is often praised as "the father of Pakistan's nuclear program."

Meanwhile, a senior security official said the troops would have their own command in the military to be dedicated to dealing with and deploying missiles in any conventional war situation.

"It is clear that this force is aimed at India," he said, quoted by Reuters.

PM Sharif stressed that Pakistan's nuclear weapons were "not for aggression, but we obtained this weapon for our defense against India's nuclear weapons."

"I would like to thank US President Donald Trump for his role in reaching a ceasefire with India," he said, referring to cross-border clashes between the two countries in May.

PM Sharif also thanked Turkey, China, Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Iran and the United Arab Emirates for their assistance to Pakistan.

"I hope, for the sake of eternal peace in the region (South Asia), President Trump will play his part in helping resolve theturbation dispute in accordance with UN resolution and justice," he added.

It is known that these two nuclear-armed countries continue to improve their military capabilities after the long-standing rivalry since their independence from British rule in 1947.

The latest tension between the two countries escalated in April following the deaths of 26 civilians in India's capislation, an attack that New Delhi said was carried out by Islamabad. Pakistan denies involvement.

The conflict then erupted in May, the most serious fighting between the two countries in decades, involving both sides using missile, drone, and fighter jets before ending with US President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire.