Pakistan and France will sign a treaty in May this year to enter into a strategic partnership to counter terrorism. Pakistan will also purchase arms from France for its counter-terrorism efforts. Under the agreement, France will provide soft loans of 450 million dollars to Pakistan to meet its arms purchase requirements. Intelligence sharing on terrorism and other related issues among the security forces of the two countries will be the part of the treaty. This agreement is certainly a good sign for Pakistan, and this will also improve the relationship between the two countries. FAHED SAEED, Islamabad, February 28.