Pakistan to get new F-16 jets starting this month

The United States today said the last batch of the new F-16 jets purchased by Pakistan is scheduled to start arriving in the country later this month and contended that there had been no stoppage in its programme to supply the combat aircraft to Islamabad.

A statement issued by the US Embassy described reports in a section of the media about a stoppage in the US-Pakistan F-16 programme as "not accurate".

"Neither Pakistan nor the United States has cancelled the F-16 programme," the statement said. The last of a batch of new F-16 jets purchased by Pakistan is scheduled to arrive in the country in late January, according to it.

Several other F-16s purchased by Pakistan from the US are undergoing mid-life upgrades and will arrive in the country "beginning in late January", it said.

Deliveries of the aircraft will continue "throughout this year and next," it added.

The US has almost completely halted all military aid for Pakistan in the wake of string of crises in bilateral relations.

NDTV

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