Viewed as a scaled-up effort to internationalise the Kashmir issue, Pakistan conducted a training launch of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

“Pakistan successfully carried out night training launch of surface to surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi,” Director General ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor said in a tweet.

Ghafoor further said that the missile was “capable of delivering multiple types of warheads up to 290 km”.

Pakistan successfully carried out night training launch of surface to surface ballistic missile Ghaznavi, capable of delivering multiple types of warheads upto 290 KMs. CJCSC & Services Chiefs congrat team. President & PM conveyed appreciation to team & congrats to the nation. pic.twitter.com/hmoUKRPWev

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) August 29, 2019

The missile launch comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the scrapping of Article 370, that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Following the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan decided to downgrade diplomatic relations with India over the Kashmir move. It expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and suspended trade with India.

In a series of retaliatory measures, Islamabad suspended the Samjhauta Express and Thar Express services operating between Pakistan and India.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani minister has reportedly predicted a “full-blown war between Pakistan and India likely to occur in the month of October or November”.

The Pakistani media quoted Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed as saying that “a full-blown war between Pakistan and India is likely to occur in October or the following month.”

According to reports, Ahmed, while addressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi, said that the war with India will be the “last this time”.

On August 14, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had termed India’s move to revoke special status to Jammu and Kashmir a “strategic blunder” and said that the move will cost New Delhi “heavily”.

A day after the Indian government abrogated Article 370, Khan had warned of “Pulwama-like incidents to happen again”.

Meanwhile, India has made it clear that the recent developments pertaining to Article 370 were “entirely the internal affair of India”.

In May, the Pakistan Army conducted a successful training launch of the Shaheen-II surface-to-surface ballistic missile.

The Shaheen-II missile is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads upto a range of 1,500 km.

Prior to that in March, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) successfully test-fired an indigenously developed extended range “smart weapon” from the JF-17 multi-role fighter aircraft.

In January, Pakistan conducted a training launch of a new surface-to-surface ballistic missile named Nasr.

According to the ISPR, the missile would enhance the operational efficiency of army strategic forces command besides re-validating the desired technical parameters.