According to the article, Congress didn’t object to the proposed sale, opening the way for the US package for Pakistan, which the Biden administration authorised last month. According to the regulations, approval from the US House of Representatives was necessary for the initiative to move on.
Following Indian criticism of the deal over the F-16 package, Islamabad responded forcefully and advised New Delhi to stop from commenting on Pakistan-US relations.
The military deal was also supported by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who claimed that the package was for the upkeep of Pakistan’s current fleet.
“These are not brand-new systems, aircraft, or weaponry. At a press conference with his Indian colleague, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the US State Secretary stated that it was about maintaining what they currently had.
“Pakistan’s programme strengthens its capabilities to counter terrorist threats coming from Pakistan or the surrounding area. Nobody wants such threats to be allowed to go without consequence, therefore this skill that Pakistan has may help all of us combat terrorism, according to Blinken.
The US had a responsibility and obligation to ensure that military equipment was maintained and sustained for anyone it provided it to, he said. That is a duty we have.
Blinken responded to a question about the terrorist dangers and the requirement for F-16s by stating: “There are obvious terrorism threats that continue to originate from Pakistan itself as well as from neighbouring nations.
“I believe the risks are clear and well-known, and we all have an interest in making sure that we have the tools to deal with them, whether they come from the TTP (Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan), Daesh, or Al-Qaeda. That is the topic of this.
