IS1.AMABAD, May 4: Reeling hard under US-imposed economic sanctions. Pakistan has indicated its unwillingness to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) by September this year in view of the continuing embargos. according to media reports here yesterday, reports

Leading urdu daily 'Jang' quoted Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz as saying that it would be difficult for Islamabad to adhere to the CTBT in the current atmosphere and continued pressure of economic sanctions imposed against the country in the aftermath of its nuclear tests in May last year.

When his attention was drawn to political developments in India and apprehension that following the fall of the Vajpayee government New Delhi May not be able to sign the CTBT immediately, Aziz told the paper that Islamabad was evaluating Indian stand in this regard.

The newspaper, however, quoting reliable sources in the government, claimed that the Nawaz Sharif government was going to undertake a review of its stand on CTBT this month in view of the "latest developments."

It further said that Sharif would be chairing a crucial meeting in this regard towards month and after the return of army chief General Pervez Musharraf from his China visit.

Indian premier Atal Behari Vajpayee had expressed doubts recently about New Delhi signing CTBT by September 1999.

The latest Indian position on CTBT has apparently unnerved Pakistani authorities as a large section of people here still believe that Islamabad should not sign the treaty before New Delhi despite the declared Pakistani stand that its signing of the treaty did not have any link with Indian stand on the same.