Islamabad: Pakistan has apparently been secretly lobbying for a defence pact with China though the initiative has been met with caution in Beijing, which feels that such an agreement could put the two 'all-weather' allies in trouble with the US and India.
'The Express Tribune' quoted unnamed diplomat and military officials as saying that Pakistan made overtures to China regarding the defence pact earlier in 2011 when its relationship with the US was weakened by several controversies.
However, the report added that there was "little hope" for an immediate breakthrough.
Islamabad used "backdoor and regular" diplomatic channels in an attempt to convince the Chinese leadership that the agreement would be "mutually beneficial", the officials said.
"Our view is, and it is also shared by authorities in Beijing to an extent, that this will send a strong signal to the world that Pakistan is not alone... an emerging world power is standing behind it," an unnamed official was quoted as saying.
According to the official, Pakistan formally raised the issue during a visit by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to China immediately after al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was killed in a covert US military raid on May 2 in Abbottabad.
"He put forward Pakistan's desire formally," said an official privy to the development who requested his name not be mentioned due to the sensitivity of the issue.
However, the Chinese leadership advised Pakistan not to push for an agreement that could put Islamabad and Beijing in trouble with Washington and New Delhi, officials said.
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