ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: The government is reviewing its F-16 fighter jets deal with the United States in the wake of the growing financial pressure to fund earthquake-related rescue and relief operations, well placed defence and diplomatic sources said.

Pakistan is currently considering two options — either to buy fewer than the originally planned 75 planes or to import a previous version of the aircraft from a European country.

It is believed that Belgium is being looked at as a possible market for purchase of an earlier version of F-16s. A military source indicated that an earlier version of F-16 deal could cost one-sixth of the price that Pakistan has agreed to pay to the US for the state-of-the-art F-16 fighter jets.

A decision may be taken soon to put the American F-16 package on hold.

On Monday, President Gen Pervez Musharraf had indicated Dawn that the deal was being re-examined. The president specifically stated that the government was considering purchase of fewer F-16 fighter jets from the US.

Asked if the government was thinking of deferring procurement of F-16 fighter jets from the US, the president had said: “We will not buy all.” The president, however, did not specify the number.

Pakistan was planning to buy 75 F-16 aircraft from the US and the deal had almost been firmed up shortly before the Oct 8 earthquake that caused massive loss of life and property.

When contacted for comments on the F-16 deal with the US, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said on Thursday: “So far no decision has been taken on this subject,” indicating that a review of available options was still in progress.

The spokesperson had said last week that the procurement of jets from the US was not a priority issue for Pakistan in the wake of devastating earthquake. “This is not an immediate issue for us. We will take a decision at an appropriate time, taking into account all the factors,” she said.