Islamabad, Sept. 14 (TNS): Pakistan says sale of advanced military technology and equipment by the United States to India would accentuate military imbalance and undermine strategic stability in South Asia.
Speaking at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the sale also encourages India to adopt aggressive military doctrine and contemplate military adventures.
He said transfer of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions for India also disincentives New Delhi to engage in efforts to establish Strategic Restraint Regime. He said Pakistan has repeatedly been calling for such a regime for durable security architecture in the region.
The spokesperson said that RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav was launched by India to carry out subversive activities in Pakistan and now New Delhi is trying to divert attention from the actual issue by presenting it as a humanitarian one.
He said Pakistan is committed to supporting all initiatives aimed at peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He told a questioner that Pakistan has raised the issue of plight of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine at different forums.
Asked to comment on statements of senior Indian military personnel describing LoC as imaginary line and threats of surgical strikes, he said the Indian Army often makes false claims in order to gain popularity among Indian public and media. Pakistan has always encouraged peaceful engagement with India including confidence building measures but its gestures have not been reciprocated.
About Indian position on Kulbhushan Jadhav, the spokesperson said the RAW agent, who was serving Commander of Indian Navy, made confessions before the magistrate as well as in a video recording. He said the agent was launched by India to carry out subversive activities in Pakistan. He said India was trying to divert attention from the actual issue, by presenting it as a humanitarian one.
To another question he said books by former Indian bureaucrats testify the fact that India scuttled efforts for peaceful resolution of conflicts with Pakistan.
Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan would continue to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the legitimate struggle of Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.
Responding to yet another question, the spokesperson said during their interactions with world leaders on the sidelines of UNGA session, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif would uphold the country’s interests.
He said during Foreign Minister’s visit to China, Iran and Turkey there was convergence of interest and viewpoints on situation in the region including Afghanistan.
The points of convergence included peace in Afghanistan is important for stability in the region, peaceful solution of the conflict, region solution of the situation in Afghanistan, Afghan-owned and Afghan-led dialogue, Pakistan’s immense contribution and sacrifices in the war against terror, and no durable regional peace without solution of Kashmir dispute.
