Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain has said that Pakistan is in negotiations with Russia for procurement of MI-35 attack helicopters, expressing confidence that there would be significant development in two months in this regard.

“I hope we will be able to materialise this project (to buy MI-35 helicopters) in two months,” he said while talking to reporters here. He said that the JF-17 fighter aircraft were capable enough to meet defence requirements of Pakistan. Pakistan had a fleet of state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder aircraft which carried all specifications of any advanced fighter jet, he said.

Pakistan was at top among 10 countries having JF-17 fleet, he said, adding that the country’s defence was impregnable and had the capability to meet all challenges. Commenting on the country’s defence production quality, he said that the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) was producing and exporting small arms to different countries including US, Britain and Germany.

He said that the Ministry of Defence Production was working day and night to meet requirements of the armed forces, adding that a proposal had been forwarded to the quarters concerned for separate budget of the ministry. Answering a question, Tanveer said Pakistan was in contact with US for delivery of F-16 aircraft, and in case the deal was not materialised, it would approach other countries for the purpose.

To another question, the minister said a protest had been launched with US over the recent drone attack, adding that US ambassador had been called in by the Foreign Office. Both civil and military leadership expressed serious concerns over the attack, he added.