RAWALPINDI, Aug 12: Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said testfiring the cruise missile was not aimed at starting an arms race with India but upgrading Pakistan’s defence capabilities.

Talking to reporters after attending a function here on Friday, the minister said: “Pakistan has no intentions to trigger an arms race, but it will not remain oblivious to its defence needs either.”

He said India had been buying modern weapons from the US, the UK, Russia and Israel. Pakistan’s cruise missile is its indigenous production. He said India had not been informed beforehand about the test because the pre-notification agreement between the two countries did not condition them to do so. He said Pakistan’s missile programme and its peace process with India would continue simultaneously.

About the local government elections, he said the opposition was facing defeat. That is the reason it has started levelling allegations against the government, he said, adding that these accusations were baseless. “We invite observers from all over the world, including the US and the European Union, to come and monitor the polls, the minister said.