Islamabad: Maintaining that recent remarks by President Pervez Musharraf about reducing the size of Pakistan Army by 50,000 was a proposal, Pakistan said today (Mar 16, 2004) its Army envisaged a "restructuring plan" to reduce manpower in order to make it "lean, lethal and hard hitting".

Responding to questions on Musharraff's remarks about reducing 50,000 troops by Pakistan Army made during his satellite TV address at the 'India Today' conclave, Pakistan Foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan said there was no response from India to Pakistan's proposal.

"President has made a proposal, gesture and an overture. There is no response. We need a conventional balance. There has to be proportionality in the forces levels" he said adding that if there was general reduction, it will have salutary impact all around.

Khan also read out a statement issued by Pakistan Defence spokesman, which said that Pakistan Army envisage plans to restructure the Army to make it more effective.

"The Army's restructuring plan envisages Pakistan Army to be lean but lethal and hard hitting. It will improve teeth to tail ratio where as tail is being reduced to make sizable savings in manpower and funds. The same is being diverted to enhance combat efficiency of the Army," the Defence statement said.

The reduction in size however would not effect the fighting potential of the armed forces, it said.

"It is reiterated that this reduction in manpower will in no case affect the fighting potential of the Army. It will rather get substantially improved with more availability of funds and result in fine balance between quantity and quality," it said.