Voicing concern over the signing of a defence pact between India and the US, Pakistan on Thursday said the agreement could destabilise the strategic balance in the region.
"The induction of advance weapon systems into the region is a matter of concern for Pakistan as it could destabilise strategic balance in the region," a Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement.
He was reacting to the 10-year defence agreement signed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his US counterpart Donald Rumsfeld in Washington on Wednesday. "We are receiving details of the defence pact between the US and India," the spokesman said.
"Pakistan is opposed to an arms race and is committed to maintaining credible minimum deterrence in both conventional and non-conventional area," he said, hinting that agreement could trigger an arms race.
He said Pakistan would always ensure its defensive capability and respond appropriately to rectify the imbalance.
Pakistan, the spokesman said, has already expressed its concern over the US providing advanced Patriot missiles systems to India. "We had already conveyed our concern to the US side over the negative consequence of induction of new weapons system such as missile defence."
He recalled that Pakistan had proposed strategic restraint regime to India based on conflict resolution, nuclear and missile restraint and conventional balance.
"We are also committed to the ongoing composite dialogue process with India with the ultimate objective of achieving durable peace and stability in the region," the spokesman said.