US wants to know if Pakistan used F-16 jets to down Indian warplane

Islamabad: The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

Pakistan says it did not use F-16s in shooting down an Indian warplane when it crossed the Line of Control (LoC) that acts as a de facto border in Kashmir. Islamabad says this was an act of self defence.

"We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information," a US Embassy spokesperson told Reuters. "We take all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously."

US often inserts restrictions on how its exported military hardware can be used through so-called end-user agreements.