India's increased military spending a threat to peace: Pak NSA

Islamabad: Pakistan's National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasir Khan Janjua on Tuesday said India's increased military spending and growing arsenal of strategic weapons is a threat to his country as well as regional peace.

"Pakistan is a peace-loving country but its efforts to promote regional peace are hindered by Indian desire to acquire military and strategic weapons," he said addressing a conference here titled 'Pakistan's role in promoting global peace and security'.

Janjua claimed that India was adding to its tally of weapons, threatening regional stability which was vital for peace and security.

He was of the view that the two neighbouring countries are nuclear armed and cannot live in an environment of hostility towards each other, especially when both are fighting terror on their soil.

The NSA said his country would continue to make efforts for regional peace and urged India to join Pakistan for "investing" in peace.

He said both India and Pakistan were fighting terrorism and they need cooperation and not hostility. He said being nuclear state, both countries need cooperative relationship.

The NSA also lashed at what he termed India sharing the "anti-China policy" by the Western countries.

"Western powers desire better relations with India due to a shared anti-China policy despite the fact that a peaceful region and world is in Chinese interest and China has no ill will towards any of these countries," he said.

He also said Muslim countries like Afghanistan need to come out of wars.