ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: The government has decided to limit the scale of the recently proposed Pakistan-United States joint military exercises this month in view of the alarming Gulf situation and the possible US-led attack on Iraq.

“In view of the critical and sensitive time for Pakistan we have decided to hold only naval exercises in the north Arabian sea which will not be supported by air or ground forces,” disclosed informed defence sources.

The sources told Dawn on Sunday that a decision in this regard was taken a few days back and communicated to the US military authorities. The exercises to be held in the last week of this month will involve not more than 150 servicemen from each side, sources said.

The US government had initially proposed to hold large-scale joint military exercises with Pakistan involving army, navy and air force. According to the American proposal as many as 1,500 US Marines would have participated in the exercises making them the largest war games between the two countries ever.

The date proposed for the exercises was Feb 22. However, the timing of these exercises made sections within the Pakistan establishment uncomfortable. Their concern had been the domestic pressure and the growing anti-US sentiments triggered by the Bush administration’s vehement calls for military action on Iraq.

US embassy spokesman in Islamabad and ISPR chief Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi both told Dawn that the exercises which were in the works were part of the ongoing programme of military cooperation between the two countries. “After 9/11 the United States and Pakistan have resumed an active programme of joint military exercises,” said the US embassy spokesman.