No More American F-16s for Pak Will fly Jordanian jets Instead

TIL Desk/World/Islamabad-Pakistan has closed the chapter of acquiring eight F-16s from the US and will now opt for Jordan-owned F-16 fighter jets, foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry said today amid strains in bilateral ties over the scuttling of the deal and a US drone strike on its soil.

Chaudhry, briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Foreign Policy, said “the US seemed to be satisfied with Pakistan’s decision.” “The chapter of receiving F-16 fighter jets from the US has been closed. Pakistan will now opt for Jordan-owned F-16 fighter jets,” he said.

Choudhry said one of the reasons for “strained relations with the US was Pakistan’s close ties with China.” “Pakistan cannot cooperate with the US on some issues. One of these issues is its sovereignty,” he said.