ISLAMABAD Oct 27: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said that Pakistan is seriously pursuing the path of peace with India, but “if a war is imposed on our country, we will not be found wanting”.

The prime minister said this in reply to questions from journalists who had sought his reaction to remarks by Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes that Pakistan must choose between talks and war with India.

Mr Jamali said war was always used as a last resort when all other options had been exhausted.

Pakistan, he said, was seriously and sincerely pursuing a policy of dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues but if, God forbid, war was imposed, we would face it.

When his attention was invited to the sudden change in the Indian leadership’s language against Pakistan, the prime minister said “they were never sweet in their statements at any moment in the past either”.

Asked about Islamabad’s response to the confidence-building measures announced by India, Mr Jamali said “a number of these proposals were originally initiated by me and now New Delhi wants to take credit for it. We have deliberated on these proposals and are still in the process of discussions.”

Answering a question about the meeting between provincial chief ministers at which they had unanimously demanded the formation of the National Finance Commission, the prime minister said: “The NFC has been formed and a summary to the effect is lying with the president for approval.”

Reacting to the chief ministers’ agreement on the construction of more water reservoirs, he said it was good omen to see such an agreement among the provincial leadership.

Mr Jamali said the chief ministers would obviously consult their parliamentary parties and take provincial assemblies into confidence on the issue before giving a go-ahead to reservoirs plan.

Asked when the inaugural meeting of the proposed National Security Council would be held, he said: “I have not made the NSC”.