Islamabad, Feb 13: Pakistan has said that the Brahmos missile test by India would lead to a fresh arms race in South Asia and add to the tensions in the region.

"The missile test will usher in new era of arms race that will further add to tensions in the region," Pakistan's Minister for Information and Media Development Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said yesterday.
"This test comes at a time when the world is facing a serious crisis and all countries are looking towards Iraq. India has chosen this time deliberately, but it cannot take mileage by doing so," Rashid was quoted by the official media as saying. "Neither it can provoke us nor deter us by such deceptions," he said, adding that India is "gravely mistaken" that it can achieve "hegemonic designs" through such acts.

"We want to live with peace but our message should not be misconstrued as weakness. Our defence forces and the 140 million people know the way to defend their motherland," he said.

Reiterating Pakistan's offer for holding dialogue, he said that it is in the best interests of both the nations that they should sit together and discuss all outstanding issues.
Bureau Report