"I would rather have seen it kicked over into the next administration," McCain said. A hearing would help senators decide what to do about the proposed sale, he said, noting he was very "conflicted." The US government announced on February 12 that it had approved the sale to Pakistan of up to eight F-16 fighter jets, as well as radars and other equipment in a deal valued at $699 million. The deal drew immediate criticism from India.
Separately, US Senator Rand Paul said Thursday he had introduced a resolution of disapproval seeking to halt US arms sales to Pakistan's government. If passed, the measure would stop the F-16 sale. US lawmakers now have 30 days to block the sale, although such action is rare since deals are usually well vetted before any formal notification.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker allowed the Obama administration to proceed with the deal, but said he would not approve using US funds to pay for the planes through the foreign military financing (FMF) program. Corker told Secretary of State John Kerry in a letter earlier this month that he was concerned about Pakistan's ties to the Haqqani network, a militant group that US officials have said is behind attacks in Afghanistan.