Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum was informed on Wednesday that the prime minister had ordered the addition of 22 wings in the civil armed forces to provide much needed protection to the multinational companies operating in the country.
Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri chaired the meeting in which Ministry of Interior Additional Secretary Tariq Mahmood informed the committee that the prime minister had approved addition of 22 new wings in the civil armed forces. The government will release Rs 27 billion this fiscal year for setting up new wings which would consist of 20,000 men.
Under the plan, eight new wings of Frontier Corps Balochistan, 10 wings of Frontier Corps KPK, while two wings each for the Sindh Rangers and Punjab Rangers will be established. The government also plans to establish two battalion headquarters in Noshki and Sui, he said adding that it would allow better protection to companies involved in oil and gas exploration and production and power projects in remote areas.
The government has already set up special security force for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and additional wings of Gilgit Baltistan Scouts for the protection of workers at the construction site of Diamer Bhasha Dam.
The committee had earlier asked the Ministry of Interior to make efforts for the protection of multinational companies’ employees working on oil and gas exploration and production in the country.
The meeting ended abruptly when Senator Yousaf Badini and Senator Azam Khan Musakhel raised the issue of absence of Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abassi from committee. They walked out in protest followed by other members forcing the chairman to call off the meeting.
