ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Secretary Defence Lt Gen (r) Alam Khattak on Tuesday apprised the Senate Standing Committee on Defence that the United States had disbursed $13.7 billion to Pakistan under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) while $2 billion were still pending.
“The US Congress has also approved $ 100 million for better border management between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which will be used for capacity building of the FC, infrastructure development in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and building of border posts,” he said.
The committee, which met with Mushahid Hussain Sayed in the chair, got a detailed briefing from the Ministry of Defence on a number of security and other related issues, said a press release.
The Secretary Defence and his team briefed the body on the recently concluded Pakistan-US security dialogue in Washington as well as the visit of the Chief of Army Chief to United States.
The committee appreciated the role of Alam Khattak and his team in effectively projecting, promoting and protecting Pakistan’s national security interests at the bilateral Pakistani-American security dialogue in Washington.
It underlined the need for effective and proactive diplomacy by the government through its embassy in Washington so that curbs being put on the US military aid to Pakistan by linking it with certification from the US Secretary of Defence should be removed.
Senator Mushahid and other members of the committee welcomed the $100 million budget for border management.
The chairman said that the time had come for taking practical steps for rehabilitation of internally displaced persons of FATA and devising an innovative plan for socio-economic development of tribal areas, besides political reforms there.
The committee also got a briefing on the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and its working.
The body was informed that the DHA had allocated 8,901 plots to the families of the Shuhada so far.
The DHA assured the committee that written and detailed reply of all specific questions asked during the meeting would be submitted by February 15, 2015.
The committee unanimously approved the National University of Medical Sciences Act 2015 (The National University of Medical Sciences (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and also recommended that a member of the Parliament should be included in Board of Governor of the proposed university.
Responding to an application moved by Senator Maulana Attaur Rehman as well as a call attention notice of Senator Usman Khan Kakar regarding the Swat Cantonment, the chairman invited residents of Khawaza Khela to attend the committee meeting and give a presentation of their perspective.
After hearing the response from Director General Military Land and Cantonment Maj Gen Farrukh Rashid, the chairman constituted a three-member sub-committee, headed by Senator Lt. Gen. (R) Salahuddin Tirmizi and comprising Senators Maulana Attaur Rehman and Farhatullah Babar, to further investigate the matter and suggested an amicable solution of the issue. The sub-committee would submit its report to the Defence Committee by March 23, 2016.
Among others, Senators Maulana Attaur Rehman, Col. (R) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Lt. Gen. (R) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Lt. Gen. (R) Abul Qayuum, Javid Abbasi and Farhatullah Babar attended the meeting.
Source: APP
