Foreign Ministry failed to make effective case for US F-16s, senators say

• Senator says Pakistani envoys in foreign countries have been unable to bring investment to country as ‘they are only interested in their own affairs’

The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs has criticised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the F-16 debacle and termed it a failure of the ministry on the foreign policy front.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs met on Thursday with Senator Nuzhat Sadiq in the chair.

Tahir Mashhadi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) raised the issue of the recent refusal of the United States to provide F-16 jets to Pakistan on subsidised rates. He said that despite the fact that Pakistan lost more than 60,000 civilians and around 9,000 armed forces personnel in the war of terror, Pakistani diplomats in the US and other relevant officials failed to convince the Congress members about the sacrifices that Pakistanis has rendered.

Mushahid Hussain Syed of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) supported the views of Mashhadi and said that he had submitted an adjournment motion in the Senate regarding the issue. He said that due to increasing ties between India and the US and their recent strategic agreement, India is publicly providing airbases to the US for the first time. He said India secretly provided airbases to US even during the era of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He said that since the Indo-American agreement, pressure on Pakistan was increasing.

Karim Khawaja of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) said that Pakistan’s Foreign Office and diplomats were not doing their job properly and professionally. He said none of the Pakistani ambassadors brings any foreign investment in Pakistan. He said most of Pakistani the diplomats are only interested in their own affairs.

“They merely want their children to get education from abroad in good institutions. They have no concern with Pakistan,” Karim Khawaja said.

Maulana Attaur Rehman of JUI-F raised the issue of misbehaviour with Pakistanis in Russia last month. Foreign Affairs Minister Special Secretary Amjad Hussain Siyal replied that these Pakistanis were initially deported to Turkey on they return to Pakistan.

BUDGET INCREASE:

Earlier, Director General Finance of Foreign Office Shujaat Rathore informed the committee that budget for financial year 2015-16 for the Foreign Affairs Division is Rs 1.289 billion while the proposed budget for the year 2016-17 is Rs 1.449 billion. The Foreign Ministry requested the Finance Division to provide Rs 160 million in addition to the already approved IBC. The priority committee meeting, which was held on April 11, discussed the demand of the Ministry of the Foreign Affairs for provision of additional funds and advised to further discuss the requirement of additional funds with the financial adviser. It was agreed to provide additional funds of Rs 35 million for the enhancement of security arrangements and another Rs 80 for improving cyber security. The Finance Division did not agree to the proposals of provision of Rs 40 million for outsourcing cleaning service and 5 million for payment of pension contribution.

The DG said the Finance Division was requested for provision of additional funds of Rs 1.577 billion above the IBC. The request of by the Foreign Affairs Minister was discussed in the priority committee’s meeting. The priority committee advised to hold a follow up meeting with the financial adviser to further discuss the demand. In a follow up meeting with the adviser, wherein the Division agreed to provide Rs 950 million in addition to the approved IBC. The share of payment of social security to local based staff hired by the missions abroad was of Rs 110 million. For the outsourcing of cleaning services in missions abroad Rs 250 million while Rs 120 million for opening up new Councils in Madina and Dammam were approved. Additionally Rs 200 million for opening four new set ups of OM Wing in Baku, Toronto, Berlin and Los Angles and Rs 270 millions for beefing up of security of the missions abroad were also approved.

He informed the committee that the Finance Division has not agreed to provision of Rs 627 millions for revision of pay scales in missions abroad and financial implications of enfacement in age limit on education subsidy, increase in rent and replacement of vehicles.

An additional Rs 150 million is required for promoting and building soft image of Pakistan by missions abroad. The Finance Division, however, has agreed to provide only Rs 15 million for the purpose.

The DG said that the yearly budget and expenditure for 2015-16 were Rs 2.157 billion for the delegations and employees related expenses while the ministry’s expenditures up to February were Rs 1.134. The mission abroad allocated Rs 11.673 for the current financial year while the expenditures remained Rs 7.460 billion.

The committee also recommended parliamentary dialogue and visits between Pakistan and Mexico for enhancing cooperation and dialogue between the two countries.