If US doesn't fund F-16s, will get it from others: Sartaj Aziz

Pakistan Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has cautioned the United States that Islamabad will purchase F-16s from other countries if it does not arrange funding.

"Pakistan will buy F-16s from some other country if funding [from US] is not arranged," the Express Tribune quoted Aziz as saying.=

His remarks comes hours after US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said that Pakistan should pay if it wants F-16 deal to go through.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's top aide stressed the importance of F-16 jets was needed in the fight against terrorism and said it was pivotal for country's national defence.

The US State Department yesterday said that it has asked Pakistan to fund the whole purchase of F-16 jet fighters on its own.

"Given congressional objections, we have told the Pakistanis that they should put forward national funds for that purpose," US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said during his weekly press briefing.

"As a matter of longstanding principle, the Department of State opposes conditions to the release of appropriated foreign assistance funds. We believe that such conditions limit the president and the secretary's ability to conduct foreign policy in the best interest of the United States," he added.

The Barack Obama-led administration was to pay 430 million dollars in subsidy through the US foreign military financing budget for the fighter jets, while Islamabad was to pay 270 million dollars for the deal.

However, the US lawmakers during the congressional hearing last week said that they would not allow the Obama administration to use US funds for the deal.

The decision to cease the subsidy came after the hearing of a sub-committee on Asia and Pacific of the US Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs where lawmakers accused Islamabad of not doing enough to fight militants.

It also raised objections of using American taxpayers' money to fund the sale with concerns that jets could be used against India.