US should cut off military aid if Pak elections are unfair: Joseph Biden

Washington, Feb 16: Democratic Senator Joseph BidenDemocratic Senator Joseph Biden has said that the US should cut off military aid to Pakistan if parliamentary elections in that country are not free, fair and transparent.

Biden, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee pointed out that there would be riots in Pakistan if elections were rigged.

Washington's "only real leverage" against the administration of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf was military aid, he added.

"I would move to cut off aid to Pakistan, military aid," The News quoted Biden, as saying.

He specifically mentioned that Washington should consider blocking the sale of F-16 fighter jets and P3 long-range maritime surveillance aircraft to Pakistan in the event of unfair elections.

The United States has forked out ten billion dollars to Pakistan since 2001, to help it tackle Al-Qaeda and Taliban on its border with Afghanistan. (ANI)

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