Trump clears $397 mn fund for Pakistan to maintain F-16 fleet however situations apply

Final week, the US administration underneath President Donald Trump authorised the discharge of a number of billion {dollars} in frozen overseas assist for a wide range of security-related exemptions.

In that listing of exemptions was $397 million to Pakistan for sustaining its F-16 fighter jet fleet.

This transfer marks a reversal from Trump’s 2018 coverage, throughout his first time period, when he suspended safety help to Pakistan, citing issues over inadequate motion towards terrorist networks.

The following Biden administration lifted this ban in 2022, approving a $450 million package deal for the sustainment of Pakistan’s F-16 fleet.

Use of F-16s after Balakot strike

The point out of F-16 is particularly notable immediately (February 26) on the
sixth anniversary of the Balakot airstrike. In response to the airstrike, Pakistan had scrambled F-16 planes and used them in a dogfight towards Indian Air Drive (IAF) fighter jets. One Pakistani Air Drive (PAF) F-16 was additionally shot down by then-Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.

Greater than its reasonably dear fighter jet being shot down by IAF, a much bigger concern for Pakistan on the time had been that it even used the F-16s within the first place.

Based on the end-use settlement that Pakistan signed with the US whereas buying the jets, these warplanes can are for use strictly for counter-terrorism operations.

India had raised the difficulty of the end-use settlement being violated. In 2022, when Biden lifted the ban on safety help for Pakistan, Indian Exterior Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had voiced his criticism, stating, “You’re not fooling anyone” concerning the meant use of the F-16s.

US spending hundreds of thousands to observe Pakistan’s F-16s 

Trump seems set to treatment this example. The $397 million is for a US-backed program in Pakistan. Reuters cited a congressional aide as saying that this system displays Islamabad’s use of US-made F-16 fighter jets to make sure they’re employed for counter-terrorism operations and never towards India.

For the US, scrutiny on Pakistan’s use of US army know-how is all of the extra pertinent given Islamabad’s rising financial and army ties with China. The priority is that elevated closeness on China might compromise the integrity of US defence property offered to Pakistan.

For this reason Pakistan isn’t even allowed to host the F-16s on the similar base because the JF-17s– that are made collectively by China and Pakistan.

With inputs from businesses