Pakistan expresses concern over India’s drone technology

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced its concern over the development of drone technology by India and termed it worrying for regional strategic stability.

“India’s development of drone technology is worrying when seen in the larger context of its buildup and expansion of military capabilities in the conventional and non-conventional domains, which are subjecting regional strategic stability to increasing strain,” Express UK reported Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal as saying while responding to a query about India’s drone.

He also said that the use of drone technology should be consistent with the principles of the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and other established norms of responsible state behavior.

The FO Spokesperson also lambasted a decision by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA) to uphold ban on Pakistan actors and artists as “yet another evidence of pervading extremism and anti-Pakistan prejudice in India”.

“It is unfortunate that art and cinema which bring people together by acting as cultural bridges are being held hostage to hate and xenophobia,” he said.

Mr. Faisal said that the decision to ban artists followed several others, “including non-issuance of visas to Pakistani pilgrims, refusal to allow participation of Sikhs and Katas raj pilgrims and cancellation of sports matches underscores the growing intolerance and bias prevalent in India exposing it of the sham-ocracy it is increasingly becoming.”

To a question that the Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India are likely to meet on the sidelines of Kabul Process in Afghanistan, he said, “No such meeting has been envisaged.”

Faisal also said that India’s “belligerent posture” along LoC and the Working Boundary has implications for not only Pakistan but also the region.

“Pakistan continues to give a measured and befitting response to the Indian ceasefire violations. It is regrettable that India resorts to such untoward acts that are detrimental to the peace and stability of the entire region,” he said.