May 01: International Labour Day

US ‘drops planned Pakistan F-16 fighter jet subsidy’

By Brajesh Upadhyay

BBC News, Washington: The US will no longer subsidise the sale of eight F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, a senior state department official has told the BBC.

The decision means that Pakistan will have to pay more than $700m (£480m) – two-and-a-half times the original cost – if it wishes to buy the aircraft.

It comes after Congress refused to approve funding for the deal.

Cease all financial and military aid to Pakistan: Senior Afghan lawmaker to US

Washington: A prominent Afghan lawmaker on Friday asked the US to stop all financial and military aid to Pakistan, including sale of F-16 jets, and impose economic sanctions, saying that the Pakistani government was providing safe havens to terrorists.

“We ask the US Government to stop all its financial and military aid to Pakistan, including F-16, and impose tough economic sanctions on Pakistan because of its support to terrorist group,” Mohammad Naeem Hamidzai Lalai, a member of Afghan Parliament from Kandahar city said.