Monday, March 28 2005 16:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: The F-16 fighter jets, which the United States decided to sell to Pakistan, will increase the country's strategic capability, President General Pervez Musharraf said today (Mar 28, 2005).

"US decision to give F-16s to Pakistan will increase Pakistan's strategic capability as Pakistan has been asking for it for awhile," state run PTV quoted Musharraf as saying in Karachi.

Pakistan would decide on the number of aircraft it would purchase, as there was no limitation on the quantum of warplanes being offered to it, he said. "We will decide according to our requirements."

"It was our longstanding demand which has now been met," Musharraf said in his first reaction to US decision to sell F-16s to Pakistan.

He said Pakistan was being offered the latest version of F-16s which would help the modernisation of Pakistan Air Force.