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We will respond to Agni-III: Pak.

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD APRIL 8. Pakistan has accused India of ``missile proliferation'' following the announcement by the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, that India intends to test fire Agni-III missile in the near future.

``We have stated before that India is the proliferator in this region. India is the one which is proliferating the missile programme,'' the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Aziz Ahmed Khan, told correspondents.

``It is better that the international community give attention to it and prevent India from this relentless pursuit of more and more weapons,'' Mr. Khan said.

Since the escalation of tensions between the two countries in December 2001, Pakistan had been accusing India of acquiring sophisticated military technology and destabilising the region.

However, separately the Pakistan Information and Media Development Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, said that as and when India undertook the Agni-III test, Pakistan would respond `appropriately'. Implied in his statement is the suggestion that Pakistan would follow suit but it is not clear if it has developed the capability for an Agni-III equivalent.

India and Pakistan conducted tit-for-tat tests of short-range missiles on March 26.

Pakistan's missile programme is under intense international scrutiny following a host of allegations by U.S. officials that it purchased missiles from North Korea in exchange for nuclear technology.

Last week, the U.S. imposed a two-year trade ban on Pakistan's largest nuclear facility on charges of links with North Korea.

The nature of charges against Pakistan is not clear as Washington subsequently clarified that the trade ban was not nuclear-related.

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