Pakistan to return Saudi favor with arms, combat aircrafts

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Pakistan is trying to sell small arms and combat aircrafts to Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz said on Wednesday. According to media reports, Sartaj Aziz said that every country sells arms and as Pakistan has a booming arms industry, there are no grounds for criticism. Replying a question in an interview Aziz said there was no Syria-specific agreement at present. He said Pakistan is impartial over Syrian issue. “It is very sad that some people are spreading rumours about a couple of countries who want to help Pakistan. Whatever the previous military regimes did with the money they received is history and has nothing to do with us.” He said Pakistan wants to strike a balance in its relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran as ties with both countries have been at low ebb for the last five years, Sartaj explained. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may visit Iran in May or June. About the generous $1.5 billion aid, he said, “The previous government left a big difference in the government’s budget and the balance of payments. Pakistan really needed it.”