The United States on Wednesday approved the sale of F-16 aircraft sustainment and related equipment to Pakistan in a deal worth $450 million (Rs 35,876 crore), the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
The proposed sale will allow Pakistan to work with the US in countering terrorism and to prepare for future contingency operations, the Pentagon said. The proposed sale does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or ammunitions.
“Pakistan’s F-16 programme is an important part of the broader United States-Pakistan bilateral relationship,” a State Department spokesperson said, PTI reported. “The F-16 fleet allows Pakistan to support counterterrorism operations and we expect Pakistan to take sustained action against all terrorist groups.”
The deal comes four years after former US President Donald Trump had suspended about $2 billion (Rs 15,940 crore) of security aid to Islamabad, reported PTI. Trump had claimed that America’s operations in Afghanistan were being affected because Pakistan provided a haven to terrorists.
In 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan, in the aftemath of 9/11 attack that killed 2,996 persons, to dismantle immediate and serious national security threats such as al-Qaeda and fears of weapons of mass destruction.
Trump had said that the US had “foolishly” given Pakistan $33 billion (Rs 2.10 lakh crore) in aid over the last 15 years. In return, he claimed, Pakistan had given the US nothing but “lies and deceit”.
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