Pak rejects India’s concerns, says its military doctrine ‘purely defensive’

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has rejected India’s concerns regarding the sophisticated armaments being provided to it by the United States, saying the country’s military doctrine is purely defensive in nature.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit instead blamed India of ‘massive militarisation’ describing it as a threat for the region.

“It is India’s dangerous military doctrines and massive militarisation that are matters of huge concern for regional stability whereas Pakistan has always acted to protect its legitimate security interests. Our military doctrine is purely defensive in nature,” The News quoted Basit, as saying.

On Saturday, Defence Minister A.K. Antony had raised serious concerns over reports that the Obama Administration would be providing new sophisticated weapons, including laser guided bomb kits to Pakistan.

Antony said the US must ensure that the arms do not fall into the hands of terrorists and be used against India.

“Latest decision of the US to provide sophisticated weapons to Pakistan is a matter of concern to India. When the US Defence Secretary was here (in New Delhi) I actually had taken up the matter with him,” Antony had said.

There have been reports that the US has cleared the supply of sophisticated laser-guided bomb kits, 12 surveillance drones and 18 F-16 fighters to enhance Pakistan military’s capability to strike at Taliban and Al-Qaeda hideouts located in troubled tribal areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“We request US again they must see that these new equipments which they are going to give to Pakistan it should be properly utilised, it should be deployed only in Af-Pak region and it is duty of the US to see that these equipments are not used against India,” Antony had said. (ANI)