A Pakistani military complex has been established close to the international border in Punjab, according to a report in The Tribune.
Details have emerged on social media, about the base housing nuclear missiles at Rahwali Cantonment near Gujranwala. It reveals two transport-erector-launcher vehicles, assessed to be those of the Nasr short-range missile, along with support vehicles laid out for inspection.
A satellite imagery expert posted images dated 27 January on his personal Twitter page, along with an assessment.
The site is 70 km from the international border and 100 km from both Amritsar and Jammu, lying in the trough of the strategically vital Shakargarh bulge that had witnessed key battles in 1965 and 1971. Along this bulge lies the vital link to Jammu and Kashmir, with the National Highway passing close to the border.
The complex is well-fortified and includes hardened shelters with blast doors, garages, ammunition bunkers, administrative and support areas. It is believed to have been constructed in August 2014.
According to experts, a missile base close to the border indicates that deployment of ‘low yield’ nuclear weapons could be employed to counter an Indian onslaught. The brief flight time of short range missiles makes them difficult to combat.
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