We believe in credible minimum deterrence: Pak PM

Islamabad, Mar 31 (UNI) Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani today said Pakistan is a peace loving country and believes in peaceful co-existence with credible minimum deterrence.

''Pakistan's defence doctrine is based on maintaining credible minimum deterrence to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and to ensure peace and stability in the region,'' the Prime Minister said while talking to Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tanveer Mehmood Ahmad at PM House.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has always played an important role in the defence of the country, in addition to rendering support to civil administration in relief and rehabilitation efforts during natural calamities.

He said to defend the aerial frontiers of the country, the government would continue to focus on improving indigenous capabilities besides entering into more joint ventures with other countries, as reported by the Associated Press of Pakistan.

The Air Chief apprised the Prime Minister of the ongoing up-gradation and modernisation initiatives and updated him on various programmes to enhance indigenous capabilities of the PAF.

UNI XC ARB DS1517