Committee meeting: ISI’s political cell disbanded 5 years ago, Senate told
Defence secretary says US drone strikes conducted from Shamsi airbase with govt approval; retracts comments later.
ISLAMABAD:
Defence Secretary Lt-General (retd) Asif Yasin Malik on Monday said that the political cell of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was disbanded five years ago and categorically denied any cell operating since.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Malik dispelled all rumours of any political cell operating within the intelligence agency since the past five years. The committee’s proceedings were held in-camera and the details were later shared with the media by the committee’s chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, at Parliament House.
Malik also presented details of the defence budget before the Standing Committee. Regular audits were conducted in all defence-related sectors and institutions, including the ISI, Malik said.
He told the committee that the defence budget for the current fiscal year was Rs545 billion — out of which Rs264 billion had been allocated to the Army, Rs114 billion to the Air Force, Rs52 billion to the Navy and Rs92 billion to the ISI, the joint staff headquarters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and defence production.
It was also reported that, while responding to a query at the meeting, Malik claimed that the US had conducted drone attacks from the Shamsi airbase while it was still operational. The attacks, he said, were carried out under the government’s approval.
He added that the US had paid Pakistan $12 billion since 9/11 and that it had not made any payments to Pakistan for its use of Shamsi airbase. The airbase was vacated by the US on December 11, 2011, following the Defence Cabinet Committee’s decision in the aftermath of the Salala attack by Nato forces which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
However, the defence secretary later denied the comment regarding the use of Shamsi airbase by the US for its drone strikes.
“Defence Secretary Asif Yasin Malik did not make any comment regarding drone strikes in Pakistan and Shamsi airbase,” Narita Farhan, a defence ministry official, told The Express Tribune.
Parliamentary oversight
Addressing the media, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, “The committee underlined the need for more transparency of the budget spent on the defence of the country, and that parliamentary oversight of defence spending is a must to ensure good governance and transparency.” He stated that Pakistan ranked 33rd in the world as far as defence expenditure is concerned, adding that it is now 2.3% of GDP.
Senator Mushahid said that the committee had decided to revisit the defence paradigm and would prepare a defence policy strategy document after receiving input from all stakeholders. He said he had also sought the viewpoint of the ministry of defence in this regard. Senator Mushahid also pledged that the committee would establish new parliamentary traditions and would seek guidance from all the stakeholders, including defence and security institutions, think tanks, the media and others.
Members of the committee termed it a good beginning as the figures of the defence budget were being shared with it.
Senators Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Farhatullah Babar, Sehar Kamran, Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Haji Muhammad Adeel and Tahir Hussain Mashhadi attended the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2012.
Defence Secretary Lt-General (retd) Asif Yasin Malik on Monday said that the political cell of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was disbanded five years ago and categorically denied any cell operating since.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Malik dispelled all rumours of any political cell operating within the intelligence agency since the past five years. The committee’s proceedings were held in-camera and the details were later shared with the media by the committee’s chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, at Parliament House.
Malik also presented details of the defence budget before the Standing Committee. Regular audits were conducted in all defence-related sectors and institutions, including the ISI, Malik said.
He told the committee that the defence budget for the current fiscal year was Rs545 billion — out of which Rs264 billion had been allocated to the Army, Rs114 billion to the Air Force, Rs52 billion to the Navy and Rs92 billion to the ISI, the joint staff headquarters, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and defence production.
It was also reported that, while responding to a query at the meeting, Malik claimed that the US had conducted drone attacks from the Shamsi airbase while it was still operational. The attacks, he said, were carried out under the government’s approval.
He added that the US had paid Pakistan $12 billion since 9/11 and that it had not made any payments to Pakistan for its use of Shamsi airbase. The airbase was vacated by the US on December 11, 2011, following the Defence Cabinet Committee’s decision in the aftermath of the Salala attack by Nato forces which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
However, the defence secretary later denied the comment regarding the use of Shamsi airbase by the US for its drone strikes.
“Defence Secretary Asif Yasin Malik did not make any comment regarding drone strikes in Pakistan and Shamsi airbase,” Narita Farhan, a defence ministry official, told The Express Tribune.
Parliamentary oversight
Addressing the media, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, “The committee underlined the need for more transparency of the budget spent on the defence of the country, and that parliamentary oversight of defence spending is a must to ensure good governance and transparency.” He stated that Pakistan ranked 33rd in the world as far as defence expenditure is concerned, adding that it is now 2.3% of GDP.
Senator Mushahid said that the committee had decided to revisit the defence paradigm and would prepare a defence policy strategy document after receiving input from all stakeholders. He said he had also sought the viewpoint of the ministry of defence in this regard. Senator Mushahid also pledged that the committee would establish new parliamentary traditions and would seek guidance from all the stakeholders, including defence and security institutions, think tanks, the media and others.
Members of the committee termed it a good beginning as the figures of the defence budget were being shared with it.
Senators Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Farhatullah Babar, Sehar Kamran, Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Haji Muhammad Adeel and Tahir Hussain Mashhadi attended the meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2012.