Pakistan may study other fighter options as US asks Pakistan to make full payment for F-16 purchase

[313baberali]

WASHINGTON (Dunya News) – United States (US) Congress Committee has interrupted financial aid worth USD 430 million to Pakistan putting sale of eight F-16 fighter jets on the line once again, Dunya News reported Friday.

Department of State stated to a British journal that Obama government is in favour of supplying F-16s to Pakistan but US aid would not be used for the purpose.

Pakistan cannot afford to pay around USD 700 million for eight fighter jets and necessary equipment. As per the previous understanding, United States was to grant USD 430 million while Pakistan was to pitch in USD 270 million for the sale.

On the other hand United States Congress has also halted provision of USD 74.2 million funds for Pakistan under military aid package.

Pakistani embassy’s spokesperson in the United States, Nadeem Hotiana said that the US administration has already supported F-16s sale to Pakistan however purchase of arms and ammunition is a lengthy and time-taking procedure.

He said that India had lobbied against Pakistan regarding the sale while some members of the Congress had also criticised the deal. They had said that F-16s could be used against India, he added.

Indian External Affairs Ministry had made it clear in February that it would not buy the argument that the deal would help Pakistan combat terrorism.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama Administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had tweeted.
Earlier in March, the motion to supply F-16s to Pakistan garnered success in the US Senate with an overwhelming 71 to 24 margin.

The deal between the two sides was kept alive for the past five years however, Obama government announced in February to go through with the sale formally.

In February, Secretary of State John Kerry, while testifying to the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee defended the deal.

Kerry lauded Pakistan’s efforts in war on terror and said that the country is an ally in fight against extremism and has been deeply engaged.

Senators had 30 days to express reservations in the matter after formal announcement by the United States on February 12. Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply questioned the plans to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan within the given time.

It should be noted here that the deal is in accordance with US foreign policy s objectives and national security goals of improved security of strategic partner in the South Asia.

The deal involves sale of eight nuclear-capable Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets, radar and other equipment.
_--------
Responsibility for Congress agreement rests with Obama admin: Tareq Fatemi
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – With Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets’ sale hanging in the balance, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (PM) Tariq Fatemi Saturday stated that the responsibility for making the US Congress agree rests with the Obama administration.

Talking with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Fatemi stated that a sentiment against the provision of military and financial aid to foreign countries was found within the Congress.

Fatemi further stated that the US administration’s offer of military aid to Pakistan was present.

Answering a question regarding the Congress denial of approving an aid offered by the US government for the purchase of F-16 fighter jets, Fatemi stated that this deal was not over yet.
------------;-;;;;;;--------------
Divorce Time

 

[CHACHA"G"]

Hello All
Dunya News Reporting that Us Congress Stops the much needed aid of 430million us dollars to Pakistan which we need for new 8 F16...

WASHINGTON (Dunya News) – United States (US) Congress Committee has interrupted financial aid worth USD 430 million to Pakistan putting sale of eight F-16 fighter jets on the line once again, Dunya News reported Friday.

Department of State stated to a British journal that Obama government is in favour of supplying F-16s to Pakistan but US aid would not be used for the purpose.

Pakistan cannot afford to pay around USD 700 million for eight fighter jets and necessary equipment. As per the previous understanding, United States was to grant USD 430 million while Pakistan was to pitch in USD 270 million for the sale.

On the other hand United States Congress has also halted provision of USD 74.2 million funds for Pakistan under military aid package.

Pakistani embassy’s spokesperson in the United States, Nadeem Hotiana said that the US administration has already supported F-16s sale to Pakistan however purchase of arms and ammunition is a lengthy and time-taking procedure.

He said that India had lobbied against Pakistan regarding the sale while some members of the Congress had also criticised the deal. They had said that F-16s could be used against India, he added.

Indian External Affairs Ministry had made it clear in February that it would not buy the argument that the deal would help Pakistan combat terrorism.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama Administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had tweeted.
Earlier in March, the motion to supply F-16s to Pakistan garnered success in the US Senate with an overwhelming 71 to 24 margin.

The deal between the two sides was kept alive for the past five years however, Obama government announced in February to go through with the sale formally.

In February, Secretary of State John Kerry, while testifying to the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee defended the deal.

Kerry lauded Pakistan’s efforts in war on terror and said that the country is an ally in fight against extremism and has been deeply engaged.

Senators had 30 days to express reservations in the matter after formal announcement by the United States on February 12. Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply questioned the plans to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan within the given time.

It should be noted here that the deal is in accordance with US foreign policy s objectives and national security goals of improved security of strategic partner in the South Asia.

The deal involves sale of eight nuclear-capable Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets, radar and other equipment.
..
پاکستان کو ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت ، امریکی کانگریس نے پابندی لگا دی

طیاروں کی فروخت کیلئے امریکی سینیٹ نے گزشتہ ماہ منظوری دے دی تھی ، کانگریس نے اجازت دینے سے انکار کر دیا
اسلام آباد (دنیا نیوز ) پاکستان کو ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت میں ایک بار پھر رکاوٹ کا سامنا ہے ، امریکی کانگریس نے طیاروں کی خریداری کے لئے مدد دینے پر پابندی لگا دی ہے ، ایف سولہ لڑاکا طیاروں کی فروخت کے لئے گزشتہ ماہ امریکی سینیٹ کی منظوری کے باوجود کانگریس نے منظوری دینے سے انکار کر دیا ، صدر براک اوباما کی انتظامیہ نے دہشتگردی کے خلاف جنگ کے لئے پاکستان کو ان طیاروں کی فروخت کی منظوری دی تھی ، امریکی محکمہ خارجہ کے ایک افسر کے مطابق اوباما انتظامیہ اب بھی ان طیاروں فروخت کے حق میں ہے لیکن اس کے لیے امریکی پیسہ خرچ نہیں کیا جا سکتا ۔ ماہرین کا کہنا ہے کانگریس کے اس فیصلے سے پاکستان کے لئے لڑاکا طیاروں کا حصول مشکل ہو گیا ہے ۔ امریکا نے پاکستان کو دہشتگردی کے خلاف جنگ کے لئے 74 کروڑ بیس لاکھ ڈالر فوجی امداد کا بل کانگریس میں پیش کیا تھا جسے روک دیا گیا ۔ اس میں سے 43 کروڑ ڈالر طیاروں کی خریداری کے لئے ملتے اور باقی 27 کروڑ ڈالر پاکستان کو ادا کرنا پڑتے ، لیکن اب پاکستان کو طیاروں کیلئے 70 کروڑ ڈالر خود خرچ کرنا پڑیں گے ۔ ایف سولہ طیاروں کی فروخت روکنے کے لئے بھارت نے بھی لابنگ کی تھی جبکہ امریکی کانگریس کے کچھ ارکان نے بھی اعتراض کرتے ہوئے کہا تھا کہ ان کا استعمال صرف بھارت کے خلاف ہو سکتا ہے


Note:For our Love of F16 "HOOR CHOOPO"

@WebMaster @MastanKhan @Horus @DESERT FIGHTER @Zarvan @Imran Khan @Oscar @fatman17 @Armstrong @Windjammer@WAJsal

 

[fatman17]

Hello All
Dunya News Reporting that Us Congress Stops the much needed aid of 430million us dollars to Pakistan which we need for new 8 F16...

WASHINGTON (Dunya News) – United States (US) Congress Committee has interrupted financial aid worth USD 430 million to Pakistan putting sale of eight F-16 fighter jets on the line once again, Dunya News reported Friday.

Department of State stated to a British journal that Obama government is in favour of supplying F-16s to Pakistan but US aid would not be used for the purpose.

Pakistan cannot afford to pay around USD 700 million for eight fighter jets and necessary equipment. As per the previous understanding, United States was to grant USD 430 million while Pakistan was to pitch in USD 270 million for the sale.

On the other hand United States Congress has also halted provision of USD 74.2 million funds for Pakistan under military aid package.

Pakistani embassy’s spokesperson in the United States, Nadeem Hotiana said that the US administration has already supported F-16s sale to Pakistan however purchase of arms and ammunition is a lengthy and time-taking procedure.

He said that India had lobbied against Pakistan regarding the sale while some members of the Congress had also criticised the deal. They had said that F-16s could be used against India, he added.

Indian External Affairs Ministry had made it clear in February that it would not buy the argument that the deal would help Pakistan combat terrorism.

"We are disappointed at the decision of the Obama Administration to notify the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Pakistan. We disagree with their rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had tweeted.
Earlier in March, the motion to supply F-16s to Pakistan garnered success in the US Senate with an overwhelming 71 to 24 margin.

The deal between the two sides was kept alive for the past five years however, Obama government announced in February to go through with the sale formally.

In February, Secretary of State John Kerry, while testifying to the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee defended the deal.

Kerry lauded Pakistan’s efforts in war on terror and said that the country is an ally in fight against extremism and has been deeply engaged.

Senators had 30 days to express reservations in the matter after formal announcement by the United States on February 12. Senator Bob Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sharply questioned the plans to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan within the given time.

It should be noted here that the deal is in accordance with US foreign policy s objectives and national security goals of improved security of strategic partner in the South Asia.

The deal involves sale of eight nuclear-capable Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 fighter jets, radar and other equipment.
..
پاکستان کو ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت ، امریکی کانگریس نے پابندی لگا دی

طیاروں کی فروخت کیلئے امریکی سینیٹ نے گزشتہ ماہ منظوری دے دی تھی ، کانگریس نے اجازت دینے سے انکار کر دیا
اسلام آباد (دنیا نیوز ) پاکستان کو ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت میں ایک بار پھر رکاوٹ کا سامنا ہے ، امریکی کانگریس نے طیاروں کی خریداری کے لئے مدد دینے پر پابندی لگا دی ہے ، ایف سولہ لڑاکا طیاروں کی فروخت کے لئے گزشتہ ماہ امریکی سینیٹ کی منظوری کے باوجود کانگریس نے منظوری دینے سے انکار کر دیا ، صدر براک اوباما کی انتظامیہ نے دہشتگردی کے خلاف جنگ کے لئے پاکستان کو ان طیاروں کی فروخت کی منظوری دی تھی ، امریکی محکمہ خارجہ کے ایک افسر کے مطابق اوباما انتظامیہ اب بھی ان طیاروں فروخت کے حق میں ہے لیکن اس کے لیے امریکی پیسہ خرچ نہیں کیا جا سکتا ۔ ماہرین کا کہنا ہے کانگریس کے اس فیصلے سے پاکستان کے لئے لڑاکا طیاروں کا حصول مشکل ہو گیا ہے ۔ امریکا نے پاکستان کو دہشتگردی کے خلاف جنگ کے لئے 74 کروڑ بیس لاکھ ڈالر فوجی امداد کا بل کانگریس میں پیش کیا تھا جسے روک دیا گیا ۔ اس میں سے 43 کروڑ ڈالر طیاروں کی خریداری کے لئے ملتے اور باقی 27 کروڑ ڈالر پاکستان کو ادا کرنا پڑتے ، لیکن اب پاکستان کو طیاروں کیلئے 70 کروڑ ڈالر خود خرچ کرنا پڑیں گے ۔ ایف سولہ طیاروں کی فروخت روکنے کے لئے بھارت نے بھی لابنگ کی تھی جبکہ امریکی کانگریس کے کچھ ارکان نے بھی اعتراض کرتے ہوئے کہا تھا کہ ان کا استعمال صرف بھارت کے خلاف ہو سکتا ہے


Note:For our Love of F16 "HOOR CHOOPO"

complete misreporting.

 

[313baberali]

Better to go for upgrades and spare parts .for current inventory

 

[slapshot]

complete misreporting.

How so? This is on BBC news too.

 

[my2cents]

It is hard to believe that you are only contributing 270 million for some eight F16 fighters.

 

[CHACHA"G"]

BBC URDU

ایف 16 کی خریداری، امریکہ کا پاکستان کی مدد سے انکار

امریکی سینیٹ کی خارجہ امور کی کمیٹی کے احکامات پر امریکی حکام نے پاکستان کو ایف سولہ طیاروں کی خریداری کی مد میں دی جانے والی امداد روک لی ہے۔


اس پابندی کے نتیجے میں پاکستان کو آٹھ ایف 16 طیارے خریدنے کے لیے 70 کروڑ ڈالر کی رقم خود ادا کرنا ہوگی۔

امریکی محکمۂ خارجہ کے ایک اعلیٰ افسر نے بی بی سی کو بتایا کہ اوباما انتظامیہ اب بھی پاکستان کو ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت کے حق میں ہے لیکن اس کے لیے امریکی پیسہ خرچ نہیں کیا جا سکتا۔


٭ پاکستان کے لیے آٹھ ایف 16 طیاروں کے حصول کی راہ ہموار

٭ ’ایف 16 طیاروں پر بھارت کے ردعمل سے مایوسی ہوئی‘

امریکہ میں پاکستانی سفارت خانے کے ترجمان ندیم ہوتیانہ نے کہا ہے کہ ہتھیاروں کی فروخت ایک طویل عمل ہے اور ’اس وقت ہم اس مخصوص صورتحال پر کوئی تبصرہ نہیں کر سکتے۔‘

محکمۂ خارجہ کے افسر کا کہنا تھا کہ امریکی انتظامیہ کو یہ فیصلہ سینیٹ کی خارجہ امور کی کمیٹی کے چیئرمین سینیٹر باب كاركر کے حکم پر کرنا پڑا ہے کیونکہ کانگریس کے پاس ہی یہ رقم جاری کرنے یا نہ کرنے کا اختیار ہوتا ہے۔

انھوں نے یہ بھی بتایا کہ انتظامیہ نے اس سال کے لیے پاکستان کو دی جانے والی 74 کروڑ 20 لاکھ ڈالر کی فوجی امداد کا جو بجٹ کانگریس کے سامنے پیش کیا تھا اس کی منظوری کا عمل بھی فی الحال روک دیا گیا ہے۔

محکمۂ خارجہ کے افسر کا کہنا تھا کہ یہ رقم پاکستان کو نہیں دی جا سکتی لیکن اگر کانگریس اپنا ذہن تبدیل کر لے تو اسے جاری کیا جا سکتا ہے.

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ اوباما انتظامیہ اس معاملے پر کانگریس کے ساتھ مل کر کام کرتی رہے گی۔

پاکستان کے لیے یہ فیصلہ ایک بہت بڑا دھچکا ہے کیونکہ گذشتہ ماہ جب سے سینیٹ نے پاکستان کو آٹھ ایف 16 طیاروں کی فروخت کو منظوری دے دی تھی تو ایسا لگ رہا تھا کہ اس معاملے میں ساری دشواریاں ختم ہو گئی ہیں۔

امریکی محکمۂ دفاع کی طرف سے جاری ایک بیان کے مطابق ان آٹھ طیاروں اور اس سے منسلک دوسرے آلات کی قیمت تقریباً 70 کروڑ ڈالر ہے۔

اب تک یہ خیال کیا جا رہا تھا کہ اس میں سے تقریباً 43 کروڑ ڈالر امریکی مدد کے تحت پاکستان کو ملتے اور تقریباً 27 کروڑ پاکستان خود ادا کرتا۔

اس پیش رفت پر امریکہ میں پاکستانی سفارت خانے کے ترجمان ندیم ہوتیانہ نے کہا ہے کہ ہتھیاروں کی فروخت ایک طویل عمل ہے اور امریکی انتظامیہ پاکستان کی ایف 16 جہازوں کی فروخت کی حمایت کا اعلان کر چکی ہے۔

ترجمان کے مطابق پاکستان کے خیال میں دہشت گرد نیٹ ورکس سے لاحق خطرات کی وجہ سے دفاعی صلاحیت میں مسلسل اضافے کی ضرورت ہے اور دونوں حکومتیں اس مقصد کے لیے ان جہازوں کی فروخت سمیت دیگر اقدامات کے لیے مل کر کام کرتی رہیں گی۔

خیال رہے کہ اوباما انتظامیہ کا کہنا ہے کہ پاکستان کو یہ طیارے دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ کے لیے فروخت کیے جا رہے ہیں۔

لیکن امریکی کانگریس میں بہت سے ارکین نے اس پر اعتراض ظاہر کیا تھا اور کہا تھا کہ ان کا استعمال صرف اور صرف انڈیا کے خلاف ہو سکتا ہے جبکہ انڈیا نے بھی اس فروخت پر اعتراضات کیے تھے۔

انڈیا کے اعتراضات کے بعد پاکستان کا کہنا ہے کہ اسے امریکہ سے ایف 16 طیاروں کی خریداری کے حوالے سے انڈین حکومت کے ردعمل پر حیرانی اور مایوسی ہوئی ہے۔

اس کے بعد اوباما انتظامیہ نے انڈیا اور بعض امریکی سینیٹروں کے اعتراضات کے باجود پاکستان کو آٹھ ایف16 طیاروں کی فروخت کے اپنے فیصلے کا دفاع کیا تھا۔

 

[313baberali]

It is hard to believe that you are only contributing 270 million for some eight F16 fighters.

Its not like that,current operation umar of Afghan taliban is changing dynamics of region. Pak input is according to our budget strength

 

[313baberali]

With out US agreeing to it,even that is not possible.

Comment was based on utilising Pak money .

 

[That Guy]

It's already a done deal, this is only a delaying tactic.

 

[Green Angel]

Yeh Chuuhay Billi ka khel ab band kar Dena chahiye Pakistan ko.

Afghanistan main marnay do in americans ko Taliban ke haton se.

Go for different options,Chinese or Russians.

PAKISTAN & CPEC can not be protected through F-16 in future for sure,or AH-1Z.

UNCLE SAM is a waste of time,We have lots of work to do in future for PAKISTAN.

UNCLE SAM deserves (Mid - - - F - - ger).

 

[Photon]

WASHINGTON: Several members of the US Congress launched on Wednesday a multi-pronged attack on Pakistan, questioning its policies and priorities.

Pakistan had to bear this humiliation for the $742 million that the Obama administration has proposed for the country in the next fiscal year. The lawmakers suggested using this money somewhere else.

Two US officials, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson and US Agency for International Development’s Donald Sampler, made feeble attempts to defend the proposed aid but they could not match the angry legislators.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who chaired the hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, set the tone, with a frontal attack on Pakistan.

Administration’s proposed financial assistance to Islamabad opposed
“The Taliban operate freely because Pakistan refuses to take action against them inside its borders,” she said while calling Pakistan “a direct contributor to the Taliban success”.

“It makes little sense to continue giving Pakistan billions of dollars if it’s going to continue to work against our interests,” she said, urging the US administration to “leverage our aid” to make Pakistan “a better regional partner with Afghanistan”.

Ambassador Olson reminded the lawmaker that Pakistan was at a strategic crossroads and had made great progress over the past couple of years in addressing its domestic counter-terrorism priorities.

Pakistan had also taken robust action against those groups, principally the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, that threaten Pakistanis, he added.

But the US administration had “made very clear at the highest levels” that “there is considerable room for improvement in the application” of targeting all terrorist groups without any discrimination, said the senior US diplomat.

“We believe in particular that Pakistan has not taken as vigorous action against groups that threaten its neighbours as it has against those that threaten it domestically.”

Ambassador Olson said that Pakistan now had to make a strategic choice, “with the Taliban having refused to come to the table, it seems to us that it is time to address more robustly the question of groups that threaten Afghanistan”.

But Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen disagreed. “We need to leverage our military sales to Pakistan in order to get some more cooperation within the region,” she said.

Congressmen Matt Salmon and Brad Sherman reminded the administration that Congress had, in the recent past, withheld US aid to Pakistan because it was still holding Dr Shakil Afridi, who assisted US efforts in tracking down Osama bin Laden and later was jailed for 23 years for alleged links to terrorist groups.

By keeping Dr Afridi in prison, the Pakistani government was “thumbing their nose to the United States and the people of the United States”, said a third lawmaker, Dana Rohrabacher.

“Should we look for any other possible restrictions?” asked Mr Salmon, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

“What would be the Pakistani response if we cut all aid until Dr Afridi was released?” asked Mr Sherman.

Mr Sampler told the lawmaker that the administration shared his sense of outrage with regard to the plight of Dr Afridi and had raised this issue at the very highest levels.

“We have requested the release of Dr Afridi and we continually request updates on his health and his status,” he said while reminding the lawmaker that the tactics he suggested had not yielded any results.

But the congressman said that Pakistan should “take a second and third and fourth look at the incarceration of this man and look to his expedited release,” if it wanted to improve its ties with the US.

Congressman Salmon also raised the issue of the Panama leaks at the hearing, noting that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family was named in those papers.

Mr Sampler refused to offer direct comments on Panama papers, but assured the lawmaker that the US was “in favour of greater financial transparency”.

Ambassador Olson said that the US had established a hotline in Pakistan to ensure that American financial assistance was not misappropriated.

Congressman Sherman asked why had the US administration routinely declined to certify that Pakistan was cooperating with the United States on action against the Haqqani Network and others.

“We have long had concerns about the fact that despite Pakistan having a stated policy of not discriminating between terrorist groups and the application of that policy, they have in fact not moved against actors that threaten their neighbours,” Mr Sampler replied.

Congressman Rohrabacher, known in Washington for his anti-Pakistan rhetoric, claimed that Islamabad was “killing the Baloch by the thousands and attacking their neighbours with the supporting terrorist incursions into India”.

“What more can Pakistan do that would have us cut off the military aid?” he asked.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016

 

[Photon]

WASHINGTON: Several members of the US Congress launched on Wednesday a multi-pronged attack on Pakistan, questioning its policies and priorities.

Pakistan had to bear this humiliation for the $742 million that the Obama administration has proposed for the country in the next fiscal year. The lawmakers suggested using this money somewhere else.

Two US officials, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson and US Agency for International Development’s Donald Sampler, made feeble attempts to defend the proposed aid but they could not match the angry legislators.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who chaired the hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, set the tone, with a frontal attack on Pakistan.

Administration’s proposed financial assistance to Islamabad opposed
“The Taliban operate freely because Pakistan refuses to take action against them inside its borders,” she said while calling Pakistan “a direct contributor to the Taliban success”.

“It makes little sense to continue giving Pakistan billions of dollars if it’s going to continue to work against our interests,” she said, urging the US administration to “leverage our aid” to make Pakistan “a better regional partner with Afghanistan”.

Ambassador Olson reminded the lawmaker that Pakistan was at a strategic crossroads and had made great progress over the past couple of years in addressing its domestic counter-terrorism priorities.

Pakistan had also taken robust action against those groups, principally the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, that threaten Pakistanis, he added.

But the US administration had “made very clear at the highest levels” that “there is considerable room for improvement in the application” of targeting all terrorist groups without any discrimination, said the senior US diplomat.

“We believe in particular that Pakistan has not taken as vigorous action against groups that threaten its neighbours as it has against those that threaten it domestically.”

Ambassador Olson said that Pakistan now had to make a strategic choice, “with the Taliban having refused to come to the table, it seems to us that it is time to address more robustly the question of groups that threaten Afghanistan”.

But Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen disagreed. “We need to leverage our military sales to Pakistan in order to get some more cooperation within the region,” she said.

Congressmen Matt Salmon and Brad Sherman reminded the administration that Congress had, in the recent past, withheld US aid to Pakistan because it was still holding Dr Shakil Afridi, who assisted US efforts in tracking down Osama bin Laden and later was jailed for 23 years for alleged links to terrorist groups.

By keeping Dr Afridi in prison, the Pakistani government was “thumbing their nose to the United States and the people of the United States”, said a third lawmaker, Dana Rohrabacher.

“Should we look for any other possible restrictions?” asked Mr Salmon, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

“What would be the Pakistani response if we cut all aid until Dr Afridi was released?” asked Mr Sherman.

Mr Sampler told the lawmaker that the administration shared his sense of outrage with regard to the plight of Dr Afridi and had raised this issue at the very highest levels.

“We have requested the release of Dr Afridi and we continually request updates on his health and his status,” he said while reminding the lawmaker that the tactics he suggested had not yielded any results.

But the congressman said that Pakistan should “take a second and third and fourth look at the incarceration of this man and look to his expedited release,” if it wanted to improve its ties with the US.

Congressman Salmon also raised the issue of the Panama leaks at the hearing, noting that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family was named in those papers.

Mr Sampler refused to offer direct comments on Panama papers, but assured the lawmaker that the US was “in favour of greater financial transparency”.

Ambassador Olson said that the US had established a hotline in Pakistan to ensure that American financial assistance was not misappropriated.

Congressman Sherman asked why had the US administration routinely declined to certify that Pakistan was cooperating with the United States on action against the Haqqani Network and others.

“We have long had concerns about the fact that despite Pakistan having a stated policy of not discriminating between terrorist groups and the application of that policy, they have in fact not moved against actors that threaten their neighbours,” Mr Sampler replied.

Congressman Rohrabacher, known in Washington for his anti-Pakistan rhetoric, claimed that Islamabad was “killing the Baloch by the thousands and attacking their neighbours with the supporting terrorist incursions into India”.

“What more can Pakistan do that would have us cut off the military aid?” he asked.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2016

 

[313baberali]

Yeh Chuuhay Billi ka khel ab band kar Dena chahiye Pakistan ko.

Afghanistan main marnay do in americans ko Taliban ke haton se.

Go for different options,Chinese or Russians.

PAKISTAN & CPEC can not be protected through F-16 in future for sure,or AH-1Z.

UNCLE SAM is a waste of time,We have lots of work to do in future for PAKISTAN.

UNCLE SAM deserves (Mid - - - F - - ger).

Itna gussa

 

[Spectre]

What's the problem? Only aid has been halted. Pakistan should it's own dime to buy these jets as almost all of the world does.