Pentagon orders latest F-16s for Pakistan: FO
By Hanif Khalid
ISLAMABAD: The United States has initiated work on upgradation of F-16 fighter jets for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and the Pentagon has placed orders with the US aircraft manufacturers for provision of the latest version of F-16 jets, Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Sadiq disclosed to The News on Saturday.
In an exclusive chat, he said the PAF would soon start receiving delivery of the new aircraft.
The planes currently being used by the PAF are being fitted with the latest avionics and other equipment, he said. This up-gradation will make them the most modern planes, he remarked.
The spokesman also discussed the US-Pakistan relations, specially in view of the current negative media campaign in the US papers.
Media has very important role in the foreign policy of Pakistan but policies are never devised under the influence of media, Sadiq said.
Media and think tank reports which create doubts about Pakistans role in the war against terrorism are detrimental to this war and; therefore, the media and think tanks must desist from harming this global effort, he said.
Relations between Pakistan and the US are not only important but these are also very crucial for the peace and stability in the region, he said.
Sadiq said terrorism is a challenge not only for Pakistan but also for the whole world. Global cooperation is a must for elimination of the menace of terrorism, he added.
Referring to statements being made in the current US presidential campaign, Sadiq said unfortunately some presidential hopefuls and politicians of some other countries have tried to make Pakistan an issue in their domestic politics.
Some statements by such persons have made it clear that they neither know about the internal situation in Pakistan nor can they imagine what may be consequences of such rhetoric and how such statements demoralise those who are laying their lives in the war on terror, the foreign office spokesman said.
The spokesman pointed out that policies of the US administration and statements of presidential hopefuls are two different things. He said the Pakistani government would maintain the present level of relationship with whosoever wins the presidential election in the US.
The issuance of statements during run-up to the presidential election and adoption of policies after coming into power are two different things. The Pak-US relations are not important just for one presidential hopeful but for all presidential hopefuls in the United States, he said.
Muhammad Sadiq said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would meet President Pervez Musharraf on Jan 23 in Davos and the two sides would discuss proposals for promotion of the bilateral relations.
Pentagon orders latest F-16s for Pakistan: FO
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