New Delhi: Several houses were damaged and at least five people including two women and two children were injured in Dera Bugti district in Baluchistan province as Pakistan Army today test-fired its long-range Shaheen-3 missile which crash-landed in a civilian area, says Baloch Republican Party (BRP). 

Apart from BRP, several Human Rights activists and observers also tweeted that there were multiple reports coming in from Dera Bugti in Baluchistan that ballistic missile test conducted by Pakistan Army fell on a local village in the area, injuring many people and damaging homes, while demanding an investigation into the incident.

DG ISPR tweeted on the flight test of the surface to surface ballistic missile, with a launch video of the Shaheen-3.

“Pakistan conducted successful flight test of #Shaheen-3 surface 2 surface ballistic missile, having range of 2750 Km. Flt test aimed @ revalidating various design & tech parameters of weapon system. President, PM, CJCSC & Services Chiefs have congratulated scientists & engineers,” the DG-ISPR said in a tweet.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) also congratulated the scientists and engineers over the successful test.

However, the Baloch Republican Party’s media cell said that the missile which was fired by Pakistan Army from Rakhi area of Dera Ghazi Khan landed at civil populated area of Dera Bugti’s Matt region.

BRP said that Pakistani security forces had evacuated all their posts in the area last night, but the missile was detonated in the presence of civilians in the area. “The blast completely destroyed many houses and injured several people,” it said.

Sher Mohammad Bugti, central spokesman of BRP also tweeted on the damage done to house in civilian area, saying “Baluchistan is our motherland, it is not a laboratory.”
“Pakistani army turned Baluchistan into a laboratory. Army has tested Shaheen-3 missile which was fired from Dera Ghazi Khan & landed on civilian areas of Matt, Dera Bugti. The missile was tested in the presence of civilians, destroying dozens of homes & injuring several,” he tweeted.

“We call on all oppressed nations to speak out against the #Pakistani military’s missile test on civilians in Dera Bugti,” the BRP spokesman said in another tweet.

“Locals of Dera Bugti’ Matt region confirmed to me that five people including two women, two children were seriously injured as Pakistan Army conducted missile test in Dera Bugti,” he said in another tweet.

Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Mohsin Dawar also condemned the irresponsible act by Pakistani army. “The state’s obsession with violence continues to cost lives. Instead of focusing on public welfare, health and education, the hybrid regime has launched missiles, causing destruction in Baluchistan yet again, injuring and endangering the already neglected and oppressed Baloch,” he said in a tweet.

Notably, Pakistan has tested its nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile on a day when Joe Biden has taken oath as the US President.

The missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 2,750 km, according to a statement issued by the media wing of the Pakistani army – the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).