Islamabad: Pakistan has said the test firing of 2,000 km long-range nuclear-capable Shaheen-II missile would not have any adverse impact on the ongoing composite dialogue process with India.

"I don't think that the missile test would have any adverse impact on the composite dialogue process that we started some time ago," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said.

He said that the test also partly assured the strategic parity between Pakistan and India. "We must also have strategic and conventional balance between the two countries."

Monday's (Mar 8, 2004) test firing of the missile was primarily driven by the technical requirement as this was the first time that Pakistan has tested a long range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, he told BBC.

He claimed that Pakistan carried out the missile test to validate technical parameters of the missile, adding the test was already announced by President Pervez Musharraf last month while ruling out roll back of nuclear policy.

Khan said that the National Command Authority (NCA), the apex body that oversees the programme, had also announced on January 31 that Pakistan would continue with qualitative and if necessary, quantitative upgradation of country's nuclear capability.

Pakistan wants to resolve conflict between the two countries for lasting peace and stability in the region, Khan said and called for working out a strategic restraint regime and other nuclear risk reduction measures.