KARACHI, 30 March 2005 — Pakistan will carry forward the peace process with India and the acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the United States will not harm peace moves, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri told a news conference in Karachi yesterday.

“I am surprised by the Indian reaction,” Kasuri said referring to Indian protests over a US decision, announced last week, to sell Pakistan F-16s after a 15-year ban.

“It will not change the overall balance of power. This is not at all in discord with the emerging thaw in relations with India,” he said.

India has protested over the US plan to sell the jets to Pakistan, saying it could hurt a nascent peace process between the nuclear-armed neighbors. But Kasuri said India’s forces were “far, far ahead of Pakistan.”

“Pakistan faces a formidable challenge in terms of approaching conventional balance vis-a-vis India,” he said.

“India’s armed forces are 1,150,000 strong, while Pakistan’s armed forces are 550,000,” he said.

He said the Indian Navy was more than double the strength of Pakistan’s and the combat strength of the Indian Air Force was “many times” that of Pakistan’s.

Kasuri said there had been a major improvement in relations since the 2002 standoff. “In 2002, India had deployed around a million troops at our border ... now we are starting a bus service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar,” he said, referring to cities in Pakistani-and Indian-controlled Kashmir, to be linked by bus next month.

“It is a victory of common sense,” he said.

He said Islamabad was providing key nuclear parts to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for inspection at the request of Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog, and “not under any pressure”. “We may send old and used parts (of centrifuges) to Vienna for inspection and it will have no impact on Pakistan’s nuclear program,” Kasuri told reporters.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf had last week indicated allowing the IAEA to conduct tests on nuclear centrifuges in order to help the UN nuclear watchdog determine if Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

Pakistan has already admitted that its top nuclear scientist, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, leaked nuclear information and technical material to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

These included nuclear centrifuges which help produce enriched uranium, which can in turn be used either for peaceful or weapons purposes.

The scientist has been granted a presidential pardon and is regarded as something of a national hero by many Pakistanis. Musharraf has refused to allow foreigners to question Qadeer. Kasuri said Pakistani scientists would carry the centrifuges and these “will remain in their custody and the inspection will be done in their presence and they (scientists) will bring them back”. He added: “At no point these centrifuges will be out of our scientists’ custody. IAEA will share the findings of inspection with Pakistan.”

He said there was no quid-pro-quo on the sale of F-16 jet fighters by the United States to Pakistan, adding: “Neither our nuclear program nor our relations with Iran will be compromised.” The United States last week announced its plan to sell the multi-role jets to Pakistan as a reward for its contribution in the fight against terrorism.

“Pakistan will never allow use of its territory by a third country against the interests of Iran,” Kasuri said.

The United States has long accused Iran of harboring nuclear weapons ambitions. Tehran has blamed second-hand Pakistani centrifuges for traces of enriched uranium found by IAEA inspectors.