ISLAMABAD: Hours after the Foreign Office sounded its opposition to a United States (US) plan to sell drones to India as part of a military deal, Pakistan Army Friday said it had shot down an ‘Indian’ quadcopter suspected of ‘spying’ on the Rakhchikri sector along the Line of Control (LoC).

“Indian quadcopter spying across LoC in Rakhchikri sector shot down by Pakistan Army shooters,” Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) tweeted. The army said it had seized the wreckage, likely for the analysis purposes.

In November last year, Pakistan army had shot down a quadcopter, also in the Rakhchikri sector, suspected to be on an espionage mission.

Likewise, in 2015, the army had shot down a similar quadcopter in the Bhimber district of AJK in the month of July.

Earlier in the day at a weekly press briefing, FO Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said providing sensitive military technology to India was akin to incitement of its ‘misadventures’ which would disrupt the balance of power in the region. The spokesman and called on the global powers to exercise more ‘international responsibility’ before committing to such agreements.

“Global powers should be aware of their international responsibilities before making such agreements,” he said, adding that international agreements, regulations and treaties should be considered before providing India any such technology.

US President Donald Trump had approved a $2 billion deal for the sale of unarmed surveillance drones in the run-up to his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June this year. The deal is subject to approval by the US Congress.

The FO also said that all civil nuclear technology agreements should be governed by rules of nuclear non-proliferation. India, deviating from the international rules, can use nuclear technology for military use instead of civil use, the FO warned, adding that because of the Nuclear Suppliers Group’s (NSG) loosening of restrictions in 2008, India is running three parallel nuclear programmes.

The spokesperson said Pakistan and the US wished to strengthen relations, based on better understanding of each other’s concerns and interests and cooperation in diverse fields.

“During US Secretary Rex Tillerson’s visit to the country and talks with the prime minister, bilateral and regional issues were discussed,” he said. “He was informed about Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations and successes on which Tillerson acknowledged the country’s contribution and sacrifices in the fight against terrorists and the country’s strategic and economic importance in the region,” he added.

Talking about Indian oppression in occupied Kashmir, the spokesman said October 27 was observed as Black Day by people of Kashmir and their supporters. “Almost seven decades back, on this day, India without any constitutional and moral justification forcibly took control of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and since then Indian forces are mercilessly killing innocent and unarmed Kashmiris, vandalising their properties and indulging in other inhuman acts,” Zakaria said.

He added that in this regard both the president and prime minister have issued statements, which were being conveyed to all the corners of the world. “The international community is being sensitised on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the plight of Kashmiris in Indian-occupied Kashmir,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, October 28th 2017.