Courtesy ISPR
Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif watched test flights of drone Burraq and missile Barq.
Pakistan successfully tested a homemade, armed drone and a laser-guided missile on Friday, the military said, taking it a step closer to acquiring the technology it has long demanded from the United States.
The United States has run a controversial drone program against militant hideouts in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan since 2004. Pakistan publicly opposes the missile strikes by U.S. drones, terming them a violation of its territorial sovereignty and has long asked the U.S. to give them the technology required to run their own program.
The tests of the drone Burraq (flying horse), and the missile Barq (lightning) were watched by Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, military spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa said on Twitter Friday.
According to the independent Bureau of Investigative Journalism, the CIA has carried out 413 drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004, frequently prompting public protest from the government and civil groups.