US wants to know if Pakistan used F16s

The United States said yesterday it was trying to find out if Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets against Indian warplane, potentially in violation of US agreements. Pakistan and India both carried out aerial bombing missions this week, including a clash on Wednesday that saw an Indian pilot crashing in the region in an incident that alarmed global powers and sparked fears of a war. A Pakistan military spokesman on Wednesday denied Indian claims that Pakistan used F-16 jets.

Pakistan returned the captured Indian pilot on Friday in a high-profile handover Islamabad touted as a “peace gesture”, which appeared to significantly dial down tensions, but both sides remain on high alert. At the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border between the two countries, there was relative calm in the past 24 hours, both armies said yesterday. But Indian security forces said they were carrying out major anti-militancy operations and had shot dead two militants.

The US Embassy in Islamabad said yesterday it was looking into reports that Pakistan used F-16 jets to shoot down the Indian pilot, a potential violation of Washington’s military sale agreements that limit how Pakistan can use the planes. “We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information,” a US Embassy spokesperson said. “We take all allegations of misuse of defence articles very seriously.”

While Pakistan has denied using F-16 jets during a dogfight that downed an Indian Mig-21 warplane on Wednesday, it has not specified which planes it used, though it assembles Chinese-designed JF-17 fighter jets on its soil. It is not clear what exactly these so-called “end-user agreements” restrict Pakistan from doing. “The US Government does not comment on or confirm pending investigations of this nature,” the US Embassy added.

On Thursday Indian officials displayed to reporters parts of what they called an air-to-air missile that can only be fired from F-16 jets, alleging they were used to bomb its side of the disputed Kashmir border on Wednesday. A Pakistan military spokesman told reporters on Wednesday that Pakistani jets “locked” on Indian targets to demonstrate Pakistan’s capacity to strike back at India, but then chose to fire in an empty field where there would be no casualties.