Senate proceedings: Rehman Malik weasels out of ‘airspace’ question

Interior minister insists no ‘airports’ or ‘airbases’ allowed for Nato supplies.

ISLAMABAD:

The interior minister attempted to weasel out of the burning question of the day – he used all the key words, but didn’t answer what was asked.

“Nato supplies have not been restored and no airport or air base in Pakistan has been allowed for the use of supplying Western forces,” Rehman Malik told senators on Friday.

He was responding to Senator Zafar Ali Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, who inquired as to who had authorised the use of Pakistan’s airspace for Nato supplies.

Earlier on Thursday, US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter told reporters in Islamabad that while land routes were closed for Nato supplies, Pakistani airspace was being used for the purpose.

The interior minister said he will ask the foreign or defence minister to present a comprehensive briefing to the house on Monday.

Opposition senators, however, were not satisfied with Malik’s answer and staged a walkout from the house.

Security in Balochistan

Responding to a question, Malik said that Rs14.59 billion were spent in 2011 on Frontier Corps (FC) and Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) personnel deployed in the insurgency-hit province. He added that 48,928 FC men and 2,057 PCG personnel have been deployed in Balochistan.

Talking about the Balochistan package, Malik said that 85% of it has been implemented.

A detailed presentation on the implementation of the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan will be given to parliamentarians hailing from province next week, he added.

Young Baloch will be employed in the FC and the 1961 act regarding employment in FC will be amended for this purpose, Malik added

Securing the capital

Malik also tabled the figures regarding expenses incurred on the federal capital’s security during the last 5 years.

He informed the upper house that 3,395 personnel – 1,547 from FC and 1,848 Rangers – were deployed in Islamabad at a cost of over Rs1.52 billion in the last five years.

The house also unanimously passed the Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University Bill 2011 to establish the university.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2012.