A JOINT resolution to block the sale of eight nuclear-capable F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan has been introduced in the US House of Representatives, even as Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday (February 26) defended the move, saying it is critical for Pakistan's fight against terrorism.
"The government of Pakistan has been using weapons from the US to repress its own citizens and especially the people of Baluchistan," Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said on Thursday (February 25) after he introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives.
"The deciding factor of whether to support this joint resolution is, for me, the arrogant and hostile actions taken by the government of Pakistan against the man who helped bring Osama bin Laden to justice," Rohrabacher said.
Earlier this month, the Obama administration officially announced it would go ahead with the $700m arms deal with Pakistan.
Alleging that Osama bin Laden was a "mass murderer" of 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001, Rohrabacher said anyone who helped bring him to justice is an "American hero".
"The government of Pakistan arrested Shakil Afridi and continues to hold him in a cage. The arrest was a declaration of hostility toward the United States," he said.
"Our government should not provide military equipment to Pakistan, let alone F-16s, as long as they are holding Afridi. His continued incarceration is an action which underscores that the government of Pakistan considers itself our enemy, not our friend," Rohrabacher said.
Kerry, however, strongly defended the decision arguing that these fighter jets are a "critical" part of Pakistan's fight against terrorists.
India is opposing the sale of F-16 to Pakistan, saying it disagrees with Washington's rationale that such arms transfers help to combat terrorism.
Kerry said the US does not want to do things that upset the balance.
"But we do believe that Pakistan is engaged legitimately in a very tough fight against identifiable terrorists in their country that threaten Pakistan," the top American diplomat argued.
"They have got about 150,000 to 180,000 troops out in the western part of their country. They've been engaged in North Waziristan in a long struggle to clear the area and move people out. They have made some progress in that. Is it enough in our judgment? No," he said.
"We think that more could be done. We're particularly concerned about the sanctuary components of Pakistan, and we're particularly concerned about some individual entities in Pakistan that have been supportive of relationships with some of the people that we consider extremely dangerous to our
interests in Afghanistan elsewhere; Haqqani Network, prime example of that," Kerry said.
Senator Bob Corker, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has put a hold on the sale of F-16 to Pakistan.
The Obama Administration, however, is hopeful that it would be able to overcome legislative challenges to proceed with the sale of F-16.
