The Bush administration was expected to formally notify the US Congress next week of plans to sell the planes but Pakistani sources told Reuters the deal was being rethought.
"Pakistan is at this time in a situation where we are trying to assess the damages caused by the earthquake and how are we going to cope with tragedy," a Pakistani diplomat said. "The onus would be more on Pakistan whether to go ahead at this time," he said.
A US official said Pakistan was reconsidering the scope and timing of the transfer out of concern for the political and economic impact of making a multibillion dollar arms deal as it still copes with a devastating earthquake that has killed thousands of people.
The Pakistani diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not suggest the deal would be jettisoned. He said there were many options, including delay. "Everything is open to possibility," he added.