Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Shaukat Sultan has said Pakistan would maintain its minimum deterrence to keep balance of power in the region. Talking to a private TV channel, he said Pakistan has stated though it would not enter into arms race, yet he said it would maintain its minimum deterrence not to be disturbed. We would try to maintain it at any cost, he added.
Responding to a question, he said US act of entering into strategic defence co-operation and defence production with India showed her double standard.
"They should keep balance of power in the region. Arms race should be desolated so that no any country can introduce a new element that can disturb balance of power abruptly. When they will enter into strategic defence co-operation, it will generate arms race", the military spokesman said.
Shaukat Sultan said the government of Pakistan has already shown its concern over it saying that it was reviewing various aspects of the pact.
"It is rather difficult to tell, off hand, as what will be its implications. It can only be told after complete analysis", he said while responding to a question.
He, however, said such pacts might drive the strategic balance in any region towards disturbance adding that the balance of power was significant for peace in any region. He said that once the balance of power was disturbed in 1998 and Pakistan got it restored through reciprocal nuclear tests.
"As long as the balance of power persists, the region will enjoy peace. Ours is a strategy of keeping minimum deterrence. We have to maintain the level so that no one can think of aggression against us. One, who will think so, will suffer an irreparable loss", he added.