WASHINGTON, July 13 A key congressional panel on Thursday postponed a hearing to review the $5.1 billion US arms package offered to Pakistan.

The 50-member house committee on international relations was due to hear John Hillen, the State Department’s Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, on Thursday on the deal, which includes new and old F-16 jets and their weapon systems.

The Congress has 30 days to act on the deal which was notified by Pentagon on June 28. If the lawmakers do not raise objections within the stipulated period, the deal will be considered endorsed.

The office of the chairman of the committee, Republican Congressman Henry Hyde, announced that the hearing had been postponed ‘until further notice’ but gave no reason for the delay. The 18-member Senate foreign relations committee has not yet announced a hearing date.

Unless stopped by Congress by July 28, Pakistan will get 36 new F-16C/D fighter aircraft, 200 sidewinder missiles, 200 air-to-air missiles, 500 kits for ground-attack satellite-guided bombs and 36 advanced pilot helmets.