Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif threatens arms race in response to India’s ‘build-up’
Sharif said there was a need to resume dialogue with India and urged the United States to be more understanding of Pakistan's position.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday Pakistan would be forced to take “countermeasures” to deter against any attacks, given a major arms build-up by neighbouring India and its refusal to resume talks over Kashmir.
“While refusing dialogue, India is engaged in a major arms build-up, regrettably with the active assistance of several powers,” Sharif said in a speech to the US Institute of Peace in Washington. “It has adopted dangerous military doctrines. This will compel Pakistan to take several countermeasures to preserve credible deterrence.”
India is engaged in a major arms build-up, regrettably with the active assistance of several powers
Sharif charged that a “cancellation” of talks between the nuclear-armed countries had been followed by increased ceasefire violations by India across the Line of Control dividing Pakistani and Indian Kashmir. He said there had also been “a stream of hostile statements by the Indian political and military leadership”.
Sharif, who held talks with President Barack Obama in Washington on Thursday, said there was a need to resume dialogue with India and urged the United States to be more understanding of Pakistan's position in the interests of regional stability.
“I believe a close review of some of the existing assumptions and analysis and greater attention to Pakistan's views and interests would be useful in enabling Washington to play a constructive role in averting the ever present danger of escalation and promoting stability in South Asia,” he said.
Read more: President Barack Obama expected to press Pakistan about security of nuclear arsenal
Sharif did not define “countermeasures,” but on Thursday, Obama urged Pakistan to avoid developments in its nuclear weapons programme that could increase risks and instability.
