ISLAMABAD, Jan 25: Pakistan condemned a missile test by India on Friday, saying it threatened regional security.

Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, the spokesman for President Pervez Musharraf, appealed for the international community to pressure India to ease tensions and said Islamabad would not be pulled into an arms race with Delhi.

“The government of Pakistan condemns the test-firing of the Agni missile by India today,” the spokesman told Reuters television.

“The test comes at a time of heightened tension when Indian forces are poised all along our borders... The international community must take note of this Indian behaviour which is prejudicial to the stability in the region.”

Pakistan, which had been informed in advance of India’s plans with permanent members of the UN Security Council, said it would exercise restraint.

The spokesman stressed Pakistan would continue to seek a peaceful solution to the crisis through dialogue.

Referring to a PAF Mirage fighter jet that had crashed into the Arabian Sea near Karachi, Maj-Gen Qureshi said the crash was not related to the India crisis. “I don’t think, so far, there is any suspicion of foul play,” he said.

The spokesman declined to say whether Pakistan would conduct its own missile tests.

“We are not in an arms race with India but unfortunately India continues to behave in an increasingly belligerent way,” he said. “If there is a requirement to test certain parameters, that’s something that Pakistan will take a decision on.”

He cautioned that with the largest mobilization of troops on borders, both sides had to be careful not to allow a small incident to blow up into a major confrontation.

“That possibility is there of (minor firing) escalating into something bigger. Pakistan armed forces policy, that is given out to the troops, is that they do not initiate fire, they only fire when fired upon,” he said.—Reuters