The Ghauri missile, which can carry all types of warheads up to 1500 kilometres, is second only to Hataf-6 (Shaheen-2) in terms of the range. Shaheen-2 with a range of 2000 kilometres was successfully tested in March this year with its impact point at sea.
The Hataf-5 test is in continuation of the series of tests conducted by Pakistan from time-to-time to validate various improvements in the qualitative parameters of its vast range of ballistic missiles inventory.
A special feature of the test of Ghauri missile was that the Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali witnessed it. Also present at the test site were Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Muhammad Aziz Khan, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Lieutenant General Khalid Kidwai, Commander Army Strategic Force Command, Lieutenant General Ghulam Mustafa, Chairman KRL Dr Javed Mirza and Chairman Nescom Dr Samar Mubarakmand.
The test of intermediate range nuclear-capable missile comes a day after the 6th anniversary of Pakistan's nuclear tests, which passed without fanfare marking departure from earlier practice.
Addressing scientists, engineers and staff who participated in the launch, the Prime Minister congratulated them on their "unique technical success and spirit of team work between various strategic organisations resulting in achieving unprecedented results."
Jamali said Pakistan's policy of maintaining minimum credible deterrence as corner stone of its national security policy was conceived after much thought and care and it has stood the test of time and events of the last several years.
He made it clear that Pakistan's edge over its adversaries in the strategic fields will be maintained at all costs and assured that the government would provide necessary resources to maintain the quality of nation's deterrence.
The Ghauri was inducted into the Army Strategic Forces Command early last year along with Shaheen-1 and Ghaznavi ballistic missile systems.
Neighbouring countries were given advance notice of today's test.
AFP ADDS: India received advance notice from Pakistan of test of the Hataf-5 nuclear-capable missile, an official source said.
Pakistan's high commission in New Delhi had informed India's foreign ministry about the possible tests "a couple of days ago," the source said. The ministry however had no immediate comment on the test of the Hataf-5 missile.
In Islamabad, military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP that the 1,500-kilometre (930-mile) range missile, part of Ghauri series, had been "successfully tested."