Pakistan to gain access to arms as US names it non-NATO ally

PAKISTAN will be named a major non-NATO ally by the United States, making it easier for the country to acquire US arms, despite US unease about how much officials knew of nuclear leaks by a Pakistani scientist.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, in Pakistan for talks on nuclear proliferation, the hunt for Osama bin Laden and peace with India, yesterday said the status of major non-NATO ally would enhance military relations with Pakistan.

“We’ll designate Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally for purposes of our future military-to-military relations,” Mr Powell told a news conference in Islamabad.