ISLAMABAD, Sept 23: Jamaat-i-Islami Naib Amir and central leader of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Senator Prof Khurshid Ahmad has termed a report appearing in a section of press as disturbing that the US, India and Israel are considering the concept and modalities of establishing an ‘Asian Nato’.

In a press release, he said it was also reported that Russia was taking interest in this proposal and the idea was to form this strategic military alliance in Asia in the name of fighting terrorism.

Prof Ahmed said if the report was correct, it represented a serious development. He said it was understandable that while military alliances were in doldrums everywhere in the world and while Nato had lost its relevance because of the disappearance of Communist threat and red enemy, the concept of an ‘Asian Nato’ was being mooted by the US, India and Israel.

He said it was an effort to crush movements of self- determination in Asia and the Middle East, and the target countries could be China, Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Prof Ahmad asked the Foreign Office officials to make serious efforts to find out what was brewing and to inform the government and the nation if there was any real move in this direction.

He said they had to keep their eyes open and Pakistan had no options but to renew its relationship with America.