Pakistan reaches accord with US on F-16s
Pakistan and the United States have reached an understanding which allows Islamabad to temporarily delay a deal to purchase F-16 fighter jets.
President Pervez Musharraf had said on Friday that Pakistan would postpone the purchase of the jets from the US to focus on quake relief and rehabilitation work.
The Bush administration also delayed an earlier decision to seek Congressional approval for the proposed deal till at least the next session. The current Congressional session expires before November 24 and the next begins in January.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The decision to delay the F-16 deal was finalised at a meeting between Ambassador Jehangir Karamat and US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca on Friday, Dawn daily reported from Washington.
Karamat said the deal was going to cost Pakistan as much as $4 billion and "we felt that at this stage we need that money for the earthquake victims".
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