Pakistan defence minister says US trying to convince Islamabad that India is not a threat

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan said that the United States has been trying to convince them that India is not a threat and hence Islamabad should change its strategic stance towards New Delhi.

Khan claims, “Both India’s capacity and intents are today hostile towards Pakistan.”

“It is time for a courteous yet ruthlessly candid dialogue between Islamabad with Washington with everything on table,” Khan said while reading out a policy statement on the government’s foreign policy contours on Monday.

The defence minister asserted that the US downplayed India’s aggressive posturing along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary, the Dawn reported.

Khan alleged that “India has amassed men, material and garrisons along the border with Pakistan” and said that 2017 was the deadliest year in terms of LoC violations by India and the killings of civilians.

Also read: Pakistan challenges India on NUCLEAR WAR, says 'Test our resolve'

“The current Indian government has reduced drastically the space for any advocacy of peace,” said Khan.

He also accused India of using Afghan soil for carrying out hostile activities against Pakistan.

The defence minister further added that Pakistan is being made a scapegoat as the US was not winning the war against terror in Afghanistan.