Pakistan on Thursday dismissed as 'sick war hysteria' India's Agni missile test and did not rule out a suitable response.

"Such tests will not help India establish its supremacy in the region," said Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid.

Asked whether Pakistan would carry out a test in response, he said, "We will, if necessary."

India conducted the Agni missile test a day after Pakistan's army for the first time took possession of the nuclear capable medium-range surface-to-surface Hatf missile, also known as Ghauri, having a range of 1,500 km.

The missile was presented to President Gen Pervez Musharraf in his capacity as army chief during a formal ceremony at a nuclear research plant on the outskirts of Islamabad.

Speaking on the occasion, Musharraf said it was a proud day for him to be accepting the Ghauri system on behalf of the army's strategic forces command, military spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi informed reporters.

Directors of the A Q Khan Research Laboratory, named after Abdul Qadir Khan who developed Pakistan's first nuclear weapon, handed over the missile to Musharraf.

More reports from Pakistan

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