ISLAMABAD – The high-ups of the ministries of Defence and Interior on Thursday admitted the presence of US marines in Quetta in a meeting of the Senate Sanding Committee on Defence, Pakistan Today has reliably learnt.
Officials of both ministries told the Senate body in an in-camera meeting that US marines were working as trainers in Balochistan. “The officials told the committee that US marines were training FC personnel in the province. In response, the committee members categorically told officials of both ministries that they would not tolerate American boots on Pakistani soil in any form,” said a source wishing not to be named.
The source said the senate body also expressed its anger over the lenient visa policy for US citizens and marines. “The members of the committee also expressed their reservations over the authority of Ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani to issue unlimited visas to Americans under powers given by President Zardari,” the source said.
The defence additional secretary presented the defence budget, including detailed breakdown and allocation to various institutions.
“The Defence Ministry officials also expressed their dissatisfaction over the disbursement of grant under the Coalition Support Fund,” the source said.
While giving briefing the body on the closure of Russian air space for PIA flights, PIA officials said Russia had refused its air space to 29 PIA flights and only 9 flights were allowed to enter its airspace weekly.
“The PIA officials further told the committee that as many as 60 flights of Russian airlines used Pakistani air space each week,” said the source.
The source said the senate standing committee observed that PIA was partially responsible for the closure, as they drafted an agreement with Russia in 1995 in this regard, however, the agreement was never vetted. “The senate body asked PIA officials to resolve the issue through negotiations, else close the Pakistani air space for Russian airlines,” the source added.
