Islamabad: Pakistan's military and people would put up a fight if India extends the US doctrine on pre-emptive attack to launch an "aggression" against the country, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri has said.

"Every Pakistani stands shoulder to shoulder with their armed forces in defence of the motherland and the entire nation is ready to deter any misadventure from India," he said replying to questions from members of the National Assembly over a debate on Iraq on March 19.

"The entire nation is united in the defence of the motherland," Kasuri said, adding that India deployed its forces on the border for 10 months but dared not attack because it knew that "the nation was ready and formed a strong defence".

He also told the Lower House that Islamabad's case on Iraq is based on principles and would strengthen Pakistan's ability to stand up to India's bullying pressures tomorrow.

Rejecting as "rubbish" the speculation over a security pact between India and Iran, he said, "It is totally rubbish, Iran will never think of that - the Iranian Foreign Minister has also dismissed it as rubbish."

Meanwhile, Al Akbar Velayati, the special envoy of Iranian President Muhammad Khatami, met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on March 19 night and delivered a special message to him on the Iraq situation.

The statement quoted Velyati as telling Musharraf that "Iran wanted the Iraqi issue to be resolved peacefully. Iran desires close relations with Pakistan and other neighbouring countries for the peace, progress and prosperity in the region".

PTI