Pakistan rejects US conditions attached to

sale of F-16s
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan needs modern F-16 fighter jets for its ongoing war against terrorism but
rejects the conditions the United States has attached with their sale, said Foreign Secretary Aizaz
Chaudhry on Saturday.
Speaking to journalists, scholars and corporate leaders at a breakfast meeting in Islamabad, the
foreign secretary said no conditions should be attached to the sale of F-16s because Pakistan
plans to use the jets only for the purpose of fighting terrorists.
The US State Department earlier this week said Pakistan will have to pay from its own funds if it
wants to buy F-16 fighter jets, after the US Congress last month withdrew funds for the deal to
force Pakistan to act against the Haqqani network.
Read: Pakistan may study other fighter aircraft options, US told
Chaudhry said Saturday that diplomatic efforts were underway to convince the Congress to
subsidise the sale of the fighter jets.
Pakistan had earlier reached an understanding with the US for buying eight F-16 planes. Under
the deal, Pakistan was required to pay about $270m from its national funds. The US was
supposed to provide the rest from its Foreign Military Financing (FMF) fund.
Pakistan has conveyed to the US that it does not have the money to buy F-16 jets from its
resources and has cautioned that if the stalemate over funding is not resolved it may consider
buying some other fighter aircraft to meet its needs.
Among the key reasons behind the Congressional hold are concerns that Pakistan has not taken
enough action against the Haqqani network; jail sentence for Dr Shakeel Afridi the physician
who had cooperated with the US in tracking Osama bin Laden; and fears about Pakistani nuclear
programme.
Examine: F-16s right platform for Pakistans counterterrorism war: US
Indo-Pak 'trust deficit'
Commenting on the stalled dialogue between India and Pakistan, the foreign secretary said
Pakistan has made it clear to India that the issue of Kashmir cannot be whisked away from the
talks.
"Whenever there will be talks between Pakistan and India, Kashmir will remain on top of the
agenda," he said.

He said the arrest of Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav from Balochistan has verified India's
involvement in Pakistan's internal affairs.
He admitted, however, that there is a trust deficit between Pakistan and India which needs to be
removed for better ties between the two nations.
'No organised presence of Daesh'
The foreign secretary said Daesh [Arabic acronym for the militant Islamic State (IS) group] has
no organised presence in Pakistan, and only a few people have claimed an association with the
terrorist organisation.
"Pakistani agencies are on alert in order to deal with any possible threat, which is why action has
been taken against such elements."
Chaudhry rejected the option to use military action to curb turmoil in Afghanistan, saying all
warring factions in Afghanistan should shun violence and come on the table to negotiate for
regional peace