Sunday, July 3 2005 12:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistan today (July 3, 2005) said it would do whatever it could to get matching weapons systems in the event of India acquiring armaments following its defence deal with US, but would not join the arms race.

"Pakistan will get anything required for its defence but will not join any arms race," Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told reporters in Islamabad today while replying to questions concerning the 10-year India-US defence agreement signed between Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Washington this week.

"Pakistan is interested that resources must be used for education, health and infrastructure development in South Asia for the betterment of the masses," Aziz said.

He, however, said Pakistan had been and will continue to strengthen its defence as peace can be achieved through strength not weakness, adding it is the endeavour of the Government to ensure a credible defence for the country.

He was apparently referring to India's likely acquisition of Patriot defence missile systems (PAC-3) from the United States.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri and its Ambassador to Washington Jehangir Karamat earlier said the new defence pact between India and US would introduce new weapons systems, disturbing the balance of power in the region and spurring an arms race.