|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 13 September 2003 |
 |
|
 |
World | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Pakistan ready to match new Indian high-tech weapons DHAKA, Friday (AFP) Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said his country had been forced into an arms race in South Asia and was prepared keep pace with arch-rival India's purchases of new high-tech weaponry. "We wanted to keep South Asia nuclear-free, but we were forced to go nuclear after India detonated its devices in 1998" along with issuance of some threatening statements, he told reporters. He said it was the same in the case of Pakistan procuring missiles. "Nuclear blackmail no longer works on us and so if India wants to introduce new and more expensive weapons system in South Asia we will do the minimum to safeguard our sovereignity, independence, self-respect and indignity," Kasuri said. "We have thousands of dedicated scientists working at our installations ... we will come forward with an appropriate defence against whatever India can think of which means greater costs that has to be borne by poor people of Pakistan and India," he said. Kasuri added "If that is what Indian leadership wants, then they will have to answer before the bar of history." The Pakistani foreign minister leaves Dhaka for Nepal after inviting Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to the summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which was delayed due to tensions between India and Pakistan. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
