US to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan

WASHINGTON - The United States plans to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan despite objections from Islamabad`s arch-rival India, a senior US official said Friday.
"Existing military assistance will be supplemented by moving forward on the sale of F-16s to Pakistan and we`re notifying that to Congress today," the official told reporters.
"Although the numbers involved are relatively small, there is no set limit on what the United States is going to be willing to sell to Pakistan," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The planned sale drew an immediate expression of anger from India which has fought three wars with its subcontinent rival.
The Press trust of India said US President George W. Bush had phoned Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to inform him of the plans and Singh expressed his "great disappointment at this decision."
PTI quoted an Indian government spokesman as saying Singh conveyed his belief that the move could have "negative consequences for India`s security environment."