Pak should use US arms to fight only Taliban: Antony

India has voiced concern over America's reported decision to supply sophisticated weapons to Pakistan. Defence minister A K Antony on Thursday said the US should ensure that the "latest tranche of military aid" is used in fighting al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists and not against India.

"Given our bitter past experience of how Islamabad used such aid against India, Washington should ensure that the latest tranche of military aid is used only for the purpose of countering al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists and not against India," he said in a statement in New Delhi.

According to reports, the United States has cleared the sale of a whole array of sophisticated weapons such as Laser Guided Bomb kits, surveillance drones and latest-model F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan to boost its forces capability to strike in remote tribal areas to take on Taliban and al-Qaida militants. With this new arms aid, US counter-insurgency assistance fund for Pakistan is slated to increase to $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2011 from $700 million in the current fiscal.

Pakistan's military inventory comprises a significant chunk of US weapon systems and platforms including C-130 transport aircraft, F-16 fighter jets and Cobra gunship helicopters. Pakistan has been operating the F-16 fighters since mid-80s and recently, the US had agreed to upgrade them to the Block-50/52 level.

- Asian Tribune -