U.S. tells Pakistan it will have to fund F-16s itself
WASHINGTON- The United States has told Pakistan it will have to finance the purchase of US F-16 fighter jets itself after members of the US Congress objected to the use of government funds to pay for them.
The US government said in February it had approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin Corp LMT.N, as well as radar and other equipment in a deal valued at $699 million.
However, Republican Senator Bob Corker said he would use his power as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to bar the use of any US funds for the deal to send a message to Pakistan that it needed to do more in the war against militants.
