GG News Bureau
Washington, 27th Sept. The United States’ relationship with Pakistan has “not served” either country, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday, raising questions on the Biden administration’s approval of a USD 450 million sustenance package for the F-16 fleet.
“Very honestly, it’s a relationship that has neither ended up serving Pakistan well, nor serving the American interests. So, it is really for the United States today to reflect on what are the merits of this relationship and what do they get by it, EAM Jaishankar said in response to a question from Indian-Americans.
Referring to the US argument that the F-16 sustenance package is used to combat terrorism, he stated that everyone knows where and against whom F-16s are used. In response to a question, he stated, “You’re not fooling anyone by saying these things.”
The Biden administration approved a USD 450 million F-16 fleet sustainment program for Pakistan earlier this month, reversing the previous Trump administration’s decision to suspend military aid to Islamabad for providing safe havens for the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network.
In a notification to the US Congress, the State Department made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale for sustainment and related equipment for an estimated cost of USD 450 million, arguing that this will sustain Islamabad’s capability to meet current and future counterterrorism threats by maintaining its F-16 fleet.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed India’s concerns about the F-16 package to Pakistan during a phone call with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
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