Pakistan has received $7.9 billion worth of military equipment from the US since 2001, but the low ebb in bilateral ties during recent months has slowed down the pace of American arms sales to the country, a latest Congressional report has said.
In its latest report, the independent Congressional Research Service (CRS) informed US lawmakers that major arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have included items useful for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, along with a number of big ticket platforms more suited to conventional warfare.
“In dollar value terms, the bulk of purchases have been made with Pakistani national funds, but US grants have eclipsed these in recent years.” said the CRS, which is an independent research wing of the US Congress.
The Pentagon reports total Foreign Military Sales agreements with Pakistan worth about USD 5.4 billion for Financial Year 2002-2010 (in-process sales of F-16 combat aircraft and related equipment account for about half of this). In addition, the US has provided Pakistan with nearly USD 2.5 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) since 2001.
These funds are used to purchase US military equipment for longer-term modernization efforts. Pakistan has also been granted US defense supplies as Excess Defense Articles (EDA).
“Major discord in the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship beginning mid-FY 2011 has slowed the pace of transfers and deliveries considerably.” the report said.
This is another trick on India played by USA. Pakistan, NATO ally, has been heavily armed, beyond its legitimate requirements, by USA against its SO CALLED strategic partner, India. This raises questions about credibility of US commitments to India.
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