According to reports, Obama administration in the United States is preparing to sell eight new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.
According to the New York Times, the step is seen as ‘overturn intended’ to boost and strengthen the partnership between the two nations despite concerns over Islamabad’s links with Taliban elements and its expanding nuclear arsenal.
The decision comes ahead of President Barack Obama’s meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which is likely to be dominated by the president’s decision to extend the US troop presence in Afghanistan and a quiet effort to get Sharif to halt the deployment of a new generation of tactical nuclear weapons.
However it is not clear whether the proposal will be announced during Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s ongoing visit to the United States.
It is also unclear whether the U.S. Congress will approve for the proposal as many fears that the F-16 jets could be useful for Pakistan for its long confrontation with India, other than for counter terrorism.
Pakistan presently has more than 70 F-16s and dozens of French and Chinese attack aircraft.
The Obama administration is also looking for Pakistan to help bring the Taliban to peace talks — an effort that the administration has pursued for years.