State Minister for Defence Sardar Saleem Haider on Thursday informed the Senate that PAF Aircraft was authorized and approved by Prime Minister for Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira on October 15 for Hyderabad rally.
During the question hour he informed the house the Prime Minister have the authority to give permission of traveling on special plan to any federal minister.
He said that single CN-235 (CASA) aircraft was utilized from Islamabad, Hyderabad, Karachi and Islamabad. Entitlement of PAF special flights are arranged for the President, Prime Minister and ministers of Pakistan in accordance with relevant rules and instruction and accordance with prevalent instructions of government the flights authorized by President or PM are not charged by PAF.
Earlier Senator M Humza belongs to leading opposition party Muslim League (N) raised the question for knowing those rules and money spend on the trip. Saleem Haider informed the house those rules made by then PMLN government in 1992.
Chairman Senate Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari deferred the interior ministries questions due to absence of the Mninister. M. Hamza criticized the government and said that they made army of ministers and it is collectively responsibility of cabinet members to response of questions in absence their any colleague. Chairman said that Interior Ministers contacted with Senate Secretariat and he was sick.
In written reply, Defence Minister Naved Qamar informed the house that his ministry has not made any agreement with foreign government for permitting drone attacks in Pakistan. He further said that in the absence of any agreement, exact date of the commencement of drone strike inside Pakistan is not available in the records of the ministry of Defence.
The number of causalities of civilians and terrorists occurred in these attacks may be requested from the concerned political administration and the ministry of States and Frontier region.
He further written replied that these drone strikes are being made without the consent of the government of Pakistan and its armed forces, therefore no exact time limit can be given about their termination. The government of Pakistan and leadership of armed forces have repeatedly raised the drone issue and the need for their immediate cessation with the US government and its military authorities.
Chairman also administrated oath from newly elected Senator Salim Mandviwala belongs to ruling PPP.
The power to authorize use of PAF aircraft by Federal Ministers which the PM has is only for performing their official functions and that too in an emergency where no other transportation is available. This is an abuse of power, if the PM allows use of PAF aircraft for holding a political rally or any other political work. The EC of Pakistan needs to take note of it. It is time to stop these blatant abuses of power, state resources and tax payer funds, especially in a country where millions live below poverty line and millions continue to be displaced by floods that ravaged their lands during previous two years .
Hey. That was my plane. No wonder I had one missing from my fleet. These theives took it. I think I'll go to supreme court 🙂
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