'Pakistan concerned over growing Indo-US ties'

Islamabad, June 10: Pakistan has expressed concern over growing strategic ties between India and the US, a day after the two countries signed a number of agreements for security cooperation during Prime Minister rendra Modi’s visit to the US. Addressing a conference at the Foreign Office on Thursday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the US approaches Pakistan whenever it needs it and abandons when it does not need the country. “Pakistan will convey its concerns to the US over the latest issues in the bilateral ties,” Aziz.

A high-level meeting is scheduled to take place between Pakistan and the US officials on Friday in Islamabad. “We firmly conveyed it to the US that maintaining effective nuclear deterrence is critical for Pakistan’s security and only Pakistan itself can determine how it should respond to growing strategic imbalance in South Asia,” he said. Aziz said Pakistan has decided to take up the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav, alleged Indian spy arrested in Balochistan, with the UN and other intertiol forums. He said the statement made by Director General of tiol Investigation Agency (NIA) that no evidence linked Pakistan to the January 2 Pathankot attack in Punjab has vindicated Pakistan’s position in attack probe. Aziz’s statement comes as Modi wrapped up a visit to Washington as one of President Barack Obama’s closest intertiol partners. The developing Indo-US relationship is seen as a foreign policy success for the Obama administration. Washington views India as an important part of its re-balance to Asia and as a counterweight to Chi, Dawn online reported. (IANS)