ISLAMABAD, MARCH 17 Pakistan's expectations of acquiring F-16 fighters failed to materialise during talks between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President Pervez Musharraf due to Washington’s concerns over Islamabad’s close nuclear cooperation with Iran.

‘‘The (F-16s) issue has become more complex after the nuclear scandal,’’ a media report said about Rice’s talks with Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

‘‘Although the hype about the sale of F-16s in Pakistan and India did not materialise, yet the issue is still going to figure high in the meeting. The issue of F-16s has become far more complex after the nuclear scandal while the US is ready to discuss the same with the two countries,’’ a report in the daily News said, quoting officials.

It said Pakistan would continue to press Washington for th planes. There was no indication here yet whether Rice has given any commitment to consider it in the future. US stopped the sale of F-16s since 1990s.

In her talks with Musharraf, Rice has lauded Pakistan’s leadership for the effort against terrorism but could not furnish any assurance over the delivery of F-16s, another newspaper Pakistan Observer said in its report. Rice had ‘‘no bounties in her bag’’ to offer, it said.

The officials’ assertions that the issue has become more complex due to the ‘‘nuclear scandal’’ meant that Pakistan officials now blame it on the investigations into the nuclear proliferation by scientist Abdul Qadir Khan. Ahead of Rice’s visit, Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed suddenly admitted that Khan supplied nuclear centrifuges to Iran. This was followed reports quoting diplomats linked to the IAEA in Geneva that Pakistan has agreed to send centrifuges parts for examination, which was later denied by Islamabad.

Asked in a press conference in Islamabad whether the US Congress would approve the sale of F-16s to Pakistan in view of the proliferation revelations, Rice declined to answer directly. ‘‘We have had broad discussions on the defence requirements of Pakistan...We have been discussing the defence requirements and military balance issues in the region,’’ she said.

But at the same time she came hard on A.Q. Khan, saying he presented a threat not only to the US, but to Pakistan and entire world.

Blast mars Kabul visit

KABUL: A bomb blast in southern Afghanistan killed at least five people on Thursday as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a one-day trip, pledging long-term US commitment to support Afghanistan’s transition to democracy.