WASHINGTON: A US Congressional sub-committee will look at how the US supplied Pakistani F-16 programme fits into the broader US strategy in the fight against terrorism as well as into the overall US relationship with Pakistan, a notification from the sub-committee says.
On Tuesday, a Democrat-controlled House Foreign Relations panel has scheduled a hearing titled "Defeating al-Qaeda`s Air Force: Pakistan`s F-16 programme in the Fight against Terrorism" shows the unease over the Bush administration`s support for Pakistan.
The house sub-committee is led by Gary Ackerman, a known pro-India congressman. He has questioned the administration`s recent decisions to provide funding for mid-life upgrades to F-16s, especially after the government audits said Pakistan had been using the US military aid to bulk up its forces against India rather than use it for counterterrorism.
In July, the Bush administration sought to shift $ 226.5 million in the US counterterrorism aid for the F-16 upgrades. Ackerman said the subcommittee will seek witness testimony about the "complete scope of the F-16 programme with Pakistan, including the number of planes, updates made to existing planes, proposed armaments, schedule of delivery and source of payment."
The subcommittee will seek testimony on how these planes contribute to Pakistan`s efforts in the fight against terrorism and extremism, and how the use of additional funds to pay for mid-life updates to Pakistan`s existing F-16 fleet enhances those efforts.
The subcommittee is also expected to examine what counterterrorism equipment or programmes were foregone as a result of the July 16, 2008, reprogramming request.The congressional interest in the F-16 use by PAF has grown after a PAF fighter flew on the Fata and US drones had to withdraw to Afghan air space.
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