New Delhi, Apr.7 (ANI): A well-known Indian-American physician, who is in the Indian capital to receive the Padma Shri award from President Pratibha Devisingh Patil this evening, has told ANI in an exclusive interview that the US should not sell F-16s to Pakistan.

“The recent arms sale to Pakistan will create a military imbalance, and, the sale of F-16s by US to Pakistan will accelerate the arms race in South Asia,” said Dr. Sudhir Parikh.

“The US should not sell F-16s to Pakistan,” he added.

Dr. Parikh said a group of Congressmen from New York, like New Jersey Senator Joseph Crowley, are all are a part of the rally against the sale of F-16s to Pakistan

Dr. Parikh added that the sale of F-16s is “not good for India and US”.

He said that it was in the interest of Washington not to go ahead with the sale, as it is on record as saying that it wants a peaceful South Asia.

American lawmakers have in the past questioned the Bush Administration over the 250-million dollars aid offered to Pakistan for upgrading its F-16 fighter aircraft.

He told ANI that there is a possibility that the new F-16s can be used against India, suggesting history as evidence for his premise.

He said supplying F-16s to Pakistan under the pretext of countering the Taliban, may be a strategy to stock up “to get an edge against India”

Indian defence experts maintain that the sale of the F-16s by US to Pakistan is  propping up
Pakistan as a regional challenger.

Dr Sudhir Praikh has also received the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman award and the Eliss Island award.

He said that the group of Indian Americans that he is a part of, supports the Indo-Us nuclear
deal.

Dr. Parikh is a noted allergist and an acclaimed authority in the field of allergy, asthma
and immunology.

Commenting on the Padma Shri award, he described as a huge and humbling honour, and he hoped to live upto its expectations while redoubling efforts to further US–India relations. (ANI)