ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The prime minister’s adviser on national security and foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has said that an arms race could be triggered in South Asia if the United States sells arms to India under the defence agreement.
In his address at a seminar in Islamabad, the adviser said that the US should not create imbalance in the strategic stability and balance of South Asia by selling arms to India.
The adviser said that operationalization of the US-India nuclear deal would have a detrimental impact on deterrence stability in the region. He urged the international community to play its due role in creating strategic balance and stability in South Asia.
Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan reserves the right to safeguard its national security interests and all measures would be taken to meet this challenge.
The top diplomat said that inclusion of India in the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) would further compound the already fragile strategic stability environment in South Asia.
The adviser said that it would also undermine the credibility of the NSG and weaken the non-proliferation regime.
“Pakistan remains opposed to policies of selectivity and discrimination in this regard,” he said.
Moreover, Sartaj Aziz said that India by no means qualifies for a special status in the UN Security Council due to its continued violation of world body resolutions on Kashmir.
Sartaj Aziz said that proposals to add new centers of privilege in the UN Security Council run counter to the collective objectives of Security Council reforms.
