In an effort to intensify the fight against militants in the country's tribal regions bordering Afghanistan,the US will supply fighter aircraft to Pakistan.Blake said Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Toiba is emerging as a major threat and Pakistan would be asked to deal with it seriously..On the supply of arms by US to Pakistan, Blake said that military relationship between them has been changing and they are meant to deal with the challenges at the Afghanistan border.
“We have had a good dialogue with our Indian friends about this important matter. We assure our Indian friends that the arms sale to Pakistan, the character and the nature of our military relationship is really changing now in Pakistan,” said Blake.
The US will deliver 18 F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan by the end of this month under a series of tough conditions, including an assurance that Islamabad will not use the planes in any conflict with India.
This is the first time the US has publicly stated that it was taking steps to ensure that its military aid to Pakistan would not be used against India.
During last month's Strategic Dialogue between India and the US, Indian leaders had conveyed to their counterparts their concerns over the US military assistance to Pakistan.
Sources said the US Air Force personnel will arrive during the delivery of the F-16s and supervise not only the air base where they will be deployed but also the operations carried out by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Though the jets will be flown by PAF pilots, the logistics, management and control of the F-16s will be with the US personnel.
The Block 50/52 model F-16 jets equipped with latest missiles will arrive at the Shahbaz Airbase in Jacoabad in the last week of June, the sources said. India has been expressing concern over the United States decision to supply hi-tech weapons to Pakistan.
Military officials also pledged to upgrade the level of intelligence exchange between the two countries.United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake had assured India that the supply of hi-tech weapons to Pakistan by the US is meant to deal with the challenges on the Afghanistan border.
India has put the blame on LeT terror outfits for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in which at least 166 people, including six Americans were killed
Expressing serious concern over the US government supplying new weapons to Pakistan, Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Saturday said that the US government has to ensure that these weapons should not reach in the hands of terrorists and be used against India.
Defense Minister said: “Latest decision of US to provide again sophisticated weapons to Pakistan is a matter of concerns to India. When the US Defence Secretary was here (in New Delhi) I actually had taken up the matter with him,” said A K Antony on the sidelines of function of Indian Coast Guard at Vizhinjam.
There have been reports that the US has cleared the supply of sophisticated laser-guided bomb kits, 12 surveillance drones and 18 F-16 fighters to enhance Pakistan military’s capability to strike at Taliban and al-Qaeda targets located in remote tribal areas of Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
There have been reports that the US has cleared the supply of sophisticated laser-guided bomb kits, 12 surveillance drones and 18 F-16 fighters to enhance Pakistan military’s capability to strike at Taliban and al-Qaeda targets located in remote tribal areas of Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Antony also said the United States must ensure that these arms being given to Pakistan are not used against India. Antony also said the United States must ensure that these arms being given to Pakistan are not used against India.
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