Forgot about the engines for a minute. If it is half the aircraft it has been advertised why doesn't China induct it ?
Range
the JF-17 may eventually become a better dogfighter with some redesigns, it may get an AESA radar, and high off oresight WVR missiles as well as Ramjet powered BVR missiles, sensor fused avionics may replace what is currently installed
but the plane is short-legged; a point defense fighter, and china has the need to deploy fighters over large distances
plus for relatively little more money, the j-10 has more space in its nose and in it air frame to carry more/larger sensors and fuel
couple that with better agility (fly by wire and a better design) and its a better pick for the PLAAF
the fighter the JF-17 should aim to be is the Gripen, same weight class, similar engine class, and a demonstation of what another country that needs a point defense fighter can develop when the plane has all the bells and whistles masterfully placed in a small air frame; getting nearly the same performance planes twice as expensive and 50% larger have (eurofighter, rafale, f-16)
Wa'allah Doctor----it is like praying to your God----sometimes the doors slide open for the prayers to slip thru and sometimes doors slide close and prayers bounce back---Sometimes when the God listens---it delivers---and sometimes it goes into to ether and we keep holding our hands together.
transnational nature of the Pak-US relationship, the pitfalls of not having your own advanced industries
imagine if Pakistan was technologically where South Korea is (having started out relatively at the same level in the mid 1950's, if not better off than South Korea), what spin-off military capabilities Pakistan could independently develop