Islamabad: Belgium has officially confirmed that it has received a formal request from Pakistan to provide up to two squadrons of F-16 fighter planes.

Reports from Belgian capital Brussels quoted Belgian Defence Ministry sources, as saying on August 18 that they were "inclined to oblige Pakistan by providing the required number".

Belgium Defence Minister Andre Flahaut was reported by 'The Nation' as saying that there would be no problem in selling F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan. Belgium had bought the F-16 planes from the United States, but the contract stipulates that it can only sell them after approval from the US.

"The dossier (F-16) has not yet been examined, therefore, we have not initiated consultation with the US as yet," Flahaut reportedly said.

Meanwhile, Belgium's Opposition Flemish Greens party has reportedly expressed its reservations on the proposal, as they believe the F-16s could be deployed with nuclear warheads.

"In the light of the tension between Pakistan and India, the sale of F-16s to Pakistan would be unacceptable," party leaders told the Belgian government.

Informed sources said Belgium would have to consult other European Union (EU) member states before seeking US permission for the sale to Pakistan to go through.

Defence experts in Brussels have indicated that Pakistan made the request after informally consulting some important members of the Bush administration.

"It is unlikely that the Americans would have a problem with Belgium selling its F-16s to Pakistan. Americans are very pleased with President Pervez Musharraf and they always applaud his role in the fight against the al-Qaida," Dirk der Maelen, a defence specialist of the coalition SPA (Flemish Socialists) was reported as telling the Belgian government.

Maelen, however, insists that before taking the decision, the Belgian government will have to carefully examine the situation in South Asia, while simultaneously agreeing to the notion that the threat of a war in South Asia had decreased enormously since 2002.

The experts also say nothing can come in the way of the sale to Pakistan, as such a deal would prevent Pakistan from buying the "Thunder", a possible alternate from China.

"The US administration does not want Pakistan to think of buying the Thunder from China, therefore Washington would facilitate Islamabad's F-16 deal with Brussels," one such expert said.

ANI