US says Pakistan sovereign to decide about purchase of fighter jets  

WASHINGTON: The United States has said that Pakistan is sovereign in its decisions with respect to the defense needs.

To a question over purchase of fighter jets from China after US Congress rejected funding F-16s, John Kirby, US State Department Spokesperson, said, these are sovereign decisions that nations make with respect to their defense needs.

“It’s up to Pakistan to speak to how they’ll fulfill their defense needs,” Kirby said during a daily press briefing. “These are obviously sovereign decisions that Pakistan has to make.”

Commenting on Pak-US relations, the spokesman said, it’s critical and vital; and it’s a relationship we have absolutely no intention of losing focus on or diminishing in any way.

Kirby went on to say, “US fully stands behind the kinds of support that we have provided Pakistan over the last many years with respect specifically to their counterterrorism capabilities and counterterrorism needs, and we’re going to continue to look for ways to improve that cooperation as best we can.”