Islamabad rejects allegations over missiles

ISLAMABAD:

The Foreign Office on Wednesday rejected as "unfortunate, unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history" the alleged threat perception arising from Pakistan's missile capabilities and delivery systems, raised by a senior US official at a think tank.

In a statement issued in response to media queries regarding the US official's remarks, the Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan's strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia.

"Since 1954, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a positive and broad-ranging relationship. The alleged threat perceptions from Pakistan's missile capabilities and delivery means are unfortunate," the spokesperson said. "These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history."

The statement said the recent spate of US allegations against a major non-NATO ally would be unhelpful for the overall relationship, especially in the absence of any evidence. "Pakistan has never had any ill intention towards the US in any form or manner, and this fundamental reality has not changed," he said.

"On the contrary, Pakistan has made monumental sacrifices for this relationship and continues to suffer hugely from the aftermath of US policies in the region. It is regrettable that the US official alluded to bracketing Pakistan with those perceived to be in an adversarial relationship with the US."

While ignoring and shielding the manifestations of a much more potent missile capability in Pakistan's eastern neighbourhood, the spokesperson said, concerns over Pakistan's capabilities were seemingly being raised at the behest of others to further accentuate the already fragile strategic stability in the region.

"Pakistan's strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia. Pakistan cannot abdicate its right to develop capabilities commensurate with the need to maintain credible minimum deterrence as well as respond to evolving and dynamic threats," the spokesperson said.

He said that since 2012, when US officials first started broaching the subject, successive Pakistani governments, leaders and officials had endeavoured from time to time to address and remove what it described as misplaced US concerns.

Moreover, he said, Pakistan had made it abundantly clear that "our strategic programme and allied capabilities are solely meant to deter and thwart a clear and visible existential threat from our neighbourhood" and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. "Hence, any irrational assumption of a hostile intent from Pakistan by any other country, including the US, is perplexing as well as illogical," he said.

"In view of the profound sanctity of the strategic programme for the people of Pakistan and for the country's defence, our clear iterations and manifestation of its intent and purpose, any attempt to seek intrusion into it, in any form or manner, on any pretext whatsoever, is neither thinkable nor possible," he said.

"There is unshakeable resolve and complete consensus on this aspect across the entire political and social spectrum of the country. Pakistan has always sought to engage constructively with the US on all issues, including the need to pursue a balanced approach to security and stability in our region. We have a long history of cooperation and wish to build on this strong legacy."