Islamabad: Concerned over the growing Indo-Israeli relations, especially in the field of Defence, Pakistan Foreign Office in a major policy shift has recommended the government to recognise the Jewish state and establish diplomatic relations to reap military and economic benefits from Tel Aviv.

The Pakistan Foreign Office has strongly supported covert, if not overt, diplomatic ties with Israel claiming the shift would bring about a bonanza of political, military, and economic benefits for Pakistan, media reports said on July 14.

The advantages and disadvantages of this significant decision, which an official described as a "cost and benefit analysis", have been spelt out in a confidential summary prepared by the Mid East section of Foreign Office last month on instructions from "some high office", local daily 'The Nation' reported.

The recommendation stating that Pakistan would not suffer any disadvantage if it recognised Israel, was handed over to President Pervez Musharraf before he embarked on his visit to the US.

"We don't see any harm in recognising Israel," it quoted an unnamed Foreign Office official as saying.

On the eve of his last month's visit to US and European countries, Musharraf said that Pakistan should not be more Palestinian than Palestinians and cited diplomatic relations between various Arab states and Israel as an example.

Though the summary was not the brainchild of Foreign Office, it reflected the thinking at the highest level, the official said.

"You can say that we have done the cost and benefit analysis," the official said.

PTI