ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to take up the issue of the United States’ discriminatory attitude towards Pakistan against India, official sources said. “The tilt is showing and this is not acceptable to Pakistan. The diplomatic channels would be used to convince Washington to stay even with Islamabad and New Delhi,” a senior official at the foreign ministry told The Nation.
“Asking us to do more against terror on Indian incitation, cementing defence ties and supporting India for the UNSC permanent seat is something we are worried about. We will take up this issue at the diplomatic level and of course Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will discuss this when he meets President Barrack Obama next month,” added the official.
India is set to purchase Apache and Chinook helicopters from the US at a cost of around $2.5 billion. The US has also pledged to support India for a permanent seat in the UNSC during the ‘Strategic and Commercial Dialogue’ between the two countries. And last day the US had stressed the need for Pakistan to bring perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks to justice.
“Such a support for India from the US will encourage them to go for further violations along the LoC (Line of Control). We hope the US will not go too far,” the official asserted. Commenting on the situation, defence and security analyst Dr Salma Mehr Malik said, “The US is well aware of India’s aggressive posture in the South Asian region. It is India that has always created troubles for Pakistan. India started wars against Pakistan in order to inflict harm to our country. The selling of arms to India will create disturbance in the region.”
“India will use the newly acquired weaponry to pressurise its neighbours. India is already following the policy of intervention and subversion in its neighbouring countries,” he added. Dr Malik said there were irrefutable proofs of India’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan. “If India gets modern weaponry and hardware, it will encourage New Delhi to start war with Pakistan again,” he feared.
Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Chaudhary Jaffer Iqbal commented, “India started creating troubles for Pakistan soon after independence in 1947. India refused to give Pakistan its due share in the assets and resources of the sub-continent. India hatched a conspiracy to disintegrate Pakistan in 1971 and imposed wars on us. It was India that first detonated a nuclear device in 1974 and Pakistan was forced to start its own nuclear programme in defence.”
“Now, India is acquiring more weapons and military hardware in order to create imbalance in the region. But Pakistan is not sitting idle and we are ready to respond to any Indian aggression with full force. India has also started unprovoked firing on LoC and Working Boundary, due to which many innocent Pakistanis have been killed,” he added.
Iqbal argued, “US, Russia and other great powers should notice the Indian hostile attitude towards its neighbours and stop supplying it modern arms, so that peace in South Asia can be achieved.” Defence analyst Major General (Retd) Athar Abbas said, “Pakistan has always followed the path of negotiations and dialogue in order to resolve mutual issues with India, but New Delhi’s intransigence has disrupted the hopes of peace.”
He contended the current nationalist government of India has adopted a policy of war mongering, adding, “The acquisition of modern weapons, aircraft and tanks is not against any other country, but Pakistan. The international community should take note of India’s war hysteria and jingoism as it could lead to disastrous consequences for the whole region.” Another defence analyst Major General Jamshed Ayaz (Retd) remarked, “The selling of military hardware to India by the US will create an imbalance in the region and Washington should review its decision. Pakistan has always extended a hand of friendship to India but it is New Delhi that has always rejected it.”
“Kashmir is the core issue between the two countries and both countries have fought wars over this. It is responsibility of the international community to play an effective role in resolving the lingering issue of Kashmir in order to promote peace in South Asian region,” he stressed. Officials said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will also highlight the Indian aggression during his meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The premier is certain to take up the Kashmir issue and India’s defiance in the September 30 address to the UNGA.