ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said that sale of advanced military technology and equipment by the United States to India would accentuate military imbalance and undermine strategic stability in South Asia.
Responding to questions at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said this will also encourage India to adopt aggressive military doctrine and contemplate military adventures.
He said the transfer of modern military hardware and technologies, as well as repeated exceptions made for India, also disincentivise New Delhi to engage in efforts to establish the strategic restraint regime. Pakistan has repeatedly been calling for such a regime for durable security architecture in the region.
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 as a 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 added that India was trying to divert attention from the actual issue by presenting it as a humanitarian one.
To another question, he said that books by former Indian bureaucrats testify the fact that India scuttled efforts for peaceful resolution of conflicts with Pakistan.
Zakaria stated that 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 Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif would uphold the country’s interests during their interactions with world leaders on the sidelines of UNGA session.
He said that during the foreign minister’s visit to China, Iran and Turkey there was convergence of interest and viewpoints on the situation in the region including Afghanistan.
The points of convergence included the regional solution to the conflict 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.
He said that 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 the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine on different forums.