Partnership: US confirms funding anti-drugs centre
Says US Army Corps of Engineers will not carry out construction work.
US Embassy insisted that the CTCOC is being constructed at the request of Pakistan’s government. PHOTO: PPI/ FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The United States confirmed on Thursday that its Defence Department was funding the construction of the “Customs Tactical Command and Operations Centre” (CTCOC) at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The US Embassy issued the statement just a day after Defence Secretary Lt General (retd) Asif Yasin Malik vehemently denied reports that the US Army Corps of Engineers had been granted any such permission. Senator Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan Peoples Party also voiced concerns over the development and termed it a violation of new foreign policy terms approved by parliament last year.
But the US Embassy insisted that the CTCOC was being constructed at the request of Pakistan’s government.
“At the request of the Government of Pakistan, specifically, the Pakistani Customs Drug Enforcement Cell, Karachi, the US Department of Defence is funding the construction of a “Customs Tactical Command and Operations Centre” based at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi,” it added.
The purpose of the centre, it said, is to “support the fight against narcotics smuggling.”
This project, in accordance with the Government of Pakistan’s requested specifications, consists of the design and construction of two new buildings for the Pakistani Customs’ Drug Enforcement Cell.
The new structures include an administrative building that will serve as an operations facility for Pakistani Customs personnel to exchange information concerning drug smuggling activity and six guard posts to help screen airport cargo at the airport tarmac entrance gates.
The US Army Corps of Engineers’ recently announced their intent to solicit a Request for Proposals for the project using the US Government Federal Business Opportunities website.
“Private construction firms or joint ventures working in this region, including Pakistani companies, are eligible to submit proposals,” the statement further said.
“We anticipate that the formal Request for Proposals will be issued this spring. The award for the project, which will be offered to an eligible private construction firm or a joint venture, is expected this summer, and our hope is that the project will be completed in the summer of 2014,” it said.
However, it said the US Army Corps of Engineers only role was to oversee the award of the contract for the project to a private construction firm and supervise its implementation.
No US military, or other USG personnel, will be involved in the actual construction, operation, or staffing of this center, which will be exclusively owned and operated by the Government of Pakistan, it explained.
This project, it said, will enable Pakistan to coordinate rapid response to narcotics and contraband smuggling.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2013.
The United States confirmed on Thursday that its Defence Department was funding the construction of the “Customs Tactical Command and Operations Centre” (CTCOC) at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The US Embassy issued the statement just a day after Defence Secretary Lt General (retd) Asif Yasin Malik vehemently denied reports that the US Army Corps of Engineers had been granted any such permission. Senator Raza Rabbani of the Pakistan Peoples Party also voiced concerns over the development and termed it a violation of new foreign policy terms approved by parliament last year.
But the US Embassy insisted that the CTCOC was being constructed at the request of Pakistan’s government.
“At the request of the Government of Pakistan, specifically, the Pakistani Customs Drug Enforcement Cell, Karachi, the US Department of Defence is funding the construction of a “Customs Tactical Command and Operations Centre” based at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi,” it added.
The purpose of the centre, it said, is to “support the fight against narcotics smuggling.”
This project, in accordance with the Government of Pakistan’s requested specifications, consists of the design and construction of two new buildings for the Pakistani Customs’ Drug Enforcement Cell.
The new structures include an administrative building that will serve as an operations facility for Pakistani Customs personnel to exchange information concerning drug smuggling activity and six guard posts to help screen airport cargo at the airport tarmac entrance gates.
The US Army Corps of Engineers’ recently announced their intent to solicit a Request for Proposals for the project using the US Government Federal Business Opportunities website.
“Private construction firms or joint ventures working in this region, including Pakistani companies, are eligible to submit proposals,” the statement further said.
“We anticipate that the formal Request for Proposals will be issued this spring. The award for the project, which will be offered to an eligible private construction firm or a joint venture, is expected this summer, and our hope is that the project will be completed in the summer of 2014,” it said.
However, it said the US Army Corps of Engineers only role was to oversee the award of the contract for the project to a private construction firm and supervise its implementation.
No US military, or other USG personnel, will be involved in the actual construction, operation, or staffing of this center, which will be exclusively owned and operated by the Government of Pakistan, it explained.
This project, it said, will enable Pakistan to coordinate rapid response to narcotics and contraband smuggling.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2013.