RAWALPINDI: President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto today [March 15] urged India not to over-react to the United States decision to ease the embargo on arms shipments to Pakistan and repeated his invitation to the Indian Premier, Mrs Indira Gandhi, to visit this country for talks aimed at normalisation of the situation in the sub-continent. It would be better for India to accept our invitation for debate instead of over-reacting, he said while inaugurating a three-day Pakistan Police Conference. …

The President said Pakistan is acquiring this equipment for its own defence … and not for any aggressive purpose or entering into an arms race in the sub-continent. He said Pakistan wanted to live in peace with India and to settle all disputes with her honourably, sensibly and equitably and asked New Delhi to see this central issue instead of resorting to diversionary tactics.

President Bhutto also told India that that there was no use in issuing threats to the United States as Super-powers could not be dictated to. He said that India needed the friendship of the United States more than the US needed hers. He also said India’s security could not suffer because of these supplies to Pakistan. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2023