Pakistan and the United States have reached an understanding that allows Islamabad to temporarily delay a deal to purchase F-16 fighter jets.

President Pervez Musharraf [Images] had said on Friday that Pakistan would postpone the purchase of the jets from the US to focus on quake relief and rehabilitation work.

The Bush Administration also delayed an earlier decision to seek Congressional approval for the proposed deal till at least the next session. The current Congressional session expires before November 24 and the next begins in January.

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The decision to delay the F-16 deal was finalised at a meeting between Ambassador Jehangir Karamat and US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca on Friday, Dawn daily reported from Washington.

Karamat said the deal was going to cost Pakistan as much as $4 billion and 'we felt that at this stage we need that money for the earthquake victims'.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [Images] was expected to brief the House of Representatives International Relations Committee on the proposed sale of F-16s in a classified session on Wednesday.

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She would have then sent a formal notification or soon after. After notification, Congress has 30 days to pass a resolution of disapproval if it wants to block the sale.

US and Pakistani officials had indicated earlier that they did not expect the lawmakers to unnecessary delay the deal.

"But now the deal may be delayed at least till the next Congressional session," Ambassador Karamat told Dawn after his meeting with Rocca.

Asked if the delay could extend to a year or longer, Karamat said, "Possible. But it is difficult to give a revised schedule at this stage. We will have to see how much resources we need for helping and rehabilitating the earthquake victims and then we will think about other matters."

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Pakistan was expected to buy 75 F-16s from the US at a cost of three billion US dollars. Of these, 50 were new F-16C/D Falcon while 25 were old but upgraded versions of the aircraft. The deal included upgrading of the 30 F-16s Pakistan received in the 1980s. In July, the US had agreed to deliver at least two F-16s by November.

"It's an ideal for us," said Karamat, adding "We hope we will be able to finalize it at a later stage."

He said the Bush administration had assured Pakistan that the delay would not affect the deal and 'we would be able to revive it when we are ready'.

The Pakistan government is facing flak from opposition parties for going ahead with defence purchases at a time when there was a shortage of funds for quake relief.

At a briefing at the US State Department, spokesman Sean McCormack said, "How and when this sale actually moves forward is up to the government of Pakistan. I would leave it to the Pakistani government to talk about where exactly they stand on their request for sale of F-16s."

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