Pakistan in US missile refit row: BBC

Washington has accused Pakistan of illegally modifying a US-supplied anti-ship missile, US media say.

The US believes the Harpoon, sold to Pakistan by the Reagan administration, has been altered for land-based use, the New York Times reported.

Islamabad says the accusations are "incorrect and based on wrong intelligence", Pakistani media say.

The US protested to Pakistan's PM in June, the Times said, fearing increased tension with Pakistan's rival, India.

'Secret test'

The Times quoted a senior US administration official as saying: "The focus of our concern is that this is a potential unauthorised modification of a maritime anti-ship defensive capability to an offensive land-attack missile."

The paper said it had been told there was a secret missile test on 23 April.

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