US approves sale of eight F-16 jets to Pak

The United States Government said that it has approved the sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan built by Lockheed Martin Corp, radar and other equipment in a deal valued at 699 million dollars.

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The Dawn reports that Pentagon's Defence Security Cooperation Agency which oversees foreign arms sales said it had notified lawmakers about the possible deal.

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The proposed deal will go through a 30-day notification period after which it will be finalized.

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The agency said that F-16s would allow Pakistan's Air Force to operate in all weather environments and at night, improving its self-defense capability and bolstering its ability to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

 

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India said it was disappointed with decision of US.

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'We disagree with their rationale those arms transfers help to combat terrorism,' Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for India's Foreign Ministry, said on Twitter.

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Lawmakers have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare since deals are well-vetted before any formal notification.