Will look elsewhere for fighter jets, says Pak

Pakistan's adviser to the Prime Minister on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz on Tuesday cautioned United States that Pakistan will acquire fighter jets from elsewhere if the US does not arrange funding for the sale of F-16s as the two countries lock horns over the purchase of the jets.

Addressing a seminar related to nuclear non-proliferation, Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan has forwarded several suggestions to free the region from nuclear weapons and is also playing responsible role in this regard.

Pakistan had earlier reached an understanding with the US for buying eight F-16 planes. Under the deal, Pakistan was required to pay about $270 million from its national funds. The US was supposed to provide the rest from its Foreign Military Financing (FMF) fund.

But at a congressional hearing, US lawmakers last Wednesday made it clear that they would not allow the Obama administration to use US funds for the deal.

Last Friday, a State Department official said that Congress had placed a hold on the deal, forbidding the administration from using US funds for enabling Pakistan to buy the planes.

And on Monday afternoon, the department confirmed that Pakistan will have to use its own funds if it wants the planes.

The latest announcement practically kills the deal as Pakistan may find it difficult to buy the planes at two and a half times more than the agreed price.

Aziz said Pakistan valued the F-16s for their effectiveness, but said that they could be replaced by JF-17 Thunder jets in its anti-terrorism campaign.

The adviser also expressed concern over India's growing military power and said if it wasn't checked, Pakistan will be "forced to increase its strategic power" too.

"The international community should avoid steps which may disturb the strategic balance in South Asia," Aziz warned.

No Afridi handover
Aziz also reiterated the government's resistance to handing Dr Shakeel Afridi, the Abbotabad physician to Osama Bin Laden who revealed the  Al Qaeda leader's location to the US authorities.

"We have rejected American pressure on Pakistan regarding Afridi, who helped the US trace Osama bin Laden. For the US he is a hero but for Pakistan he is a criminal," he said.

Afridi's case is under review by a tribunal, and he is also suspected of links with terrorist organisations, Aziz added.

The adviser also confirmed that an Afghan Taliban delegation from Doha is in Islamabad for exploratory contacts and such contacts are maintained by all members of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group which consists of the US, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Last week, the Afghan Taliban's spokesperson in Doha formally confirmed that a delegation from its political office in Qatar was visiting Pakistan and promised ''fruitful results'', but rejected the impression that the group was there to discuss participation in peace talks with Kabul.

He said Pakistan's command and control program is ready to face any challenge as it is according to international missile technology.

He further said that concessions given to India over nuclear missile material would result in instability and increase in usage of weapons.

The advisor on foreign affairs said Pakistan's nuclear safety paradigm was dynamic and responsive against the entire range of possible threats.

The adviser said Islamabad is committed to nuclear security and has been proactively engaged with the international community to promote nuclear safety and security.