Pakistan says it will postpone the purchase of F-16 fighter jets from the United States in order to provide more relief to victims of the devastating October eighth earthquake.
President Pervez Musharraf made the announcement during a tour of quake-hit areas Friday. He said the government wants to provide maximum relief and reconstruction efforts.
General Musharraf had earlier said his country did not plan to cut into its defense budget to increase funds for relief efforts.
On Thursday, Jordan's Queen Rania, speaking on behalf of the United Nations children's fund, called for help to immunize Pakistani children against disease.
Quake survivors marked a normally joyous Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr today with somber prayers amid ruins and debris, and visits to the graves of their relatives who died in the catastrophe.
Pakistan this week raised its death toll from the quake to more than 73,000.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AP.
