Slow down in US arms sales to Pak

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 FY 2002-FY 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 modernisation 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.