Farhatullah Babar flays 20-year extension in toll collection contract to FWO
Shireen Mazari expresses concern over sending Pak army troops to Saudi Arabia in NA
Senator Farhatullah Babar while denouncing the government’s decision to deploy additional troops along Saudi Arabia-Yemen border, said that there’s a risk of Pakistani armed forces getting pulled into the Yemen conflict.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Farhatullah Babar on Tuesday said if the troops were deployed along the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border they could soon get sucked in quagmire under the doctrine of hot pursuit.
On Monday, the Defence minister had assured that the troops will be confined within the Saudi geographical boundaries but refused to disclose deployment location.
Speaking on another issue, Senator Farhatullah Babar criticised the 20-years contract extension by National Highway Authority (NHA) to the FWO for toll collection without bids and without discussion in parliament.
He said that he learnt about this unusual development during the Question Hour when Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Aftab Shaikh on a supplementary question relating to the NHA disclosed it. Not believing that it could be true I went up to the minister to ask about it and was profoundly shocked that it was correct.
He said that the FWO had been given contract for toll collection without bids. This highly lucrative contract was extended for ten years during the days of Musharraf without bids and without debate.
Now it has been extended by another 20 years what he said was geometric progression. By this mathematical model it will logically be extended in 2037 for another 40 years, he said.
He said that this intrusion of security establishment in the field of economy without bids and public competition would create resentment among entrepreneurs and pleaded for a review of the decision.
PTI leader Shireen Mazari has expressed serious concerns over sending army to Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on a point of order here on Tuesday in the National Assembly, she sought briefing from Ministry of Defence regarding sending army troops to Saudi Arabia. “We have to send army just to protect the holy places”, she said, adding it was not meant to indulge in any war there.
She said the Defence minister told the Senate the other day that 1000 troops have been sent to Saudi Arabia. She deplored that decisions made in the previous meetings were bulldosed. She cast doubt that Pakistan army would become part of Yemen war. Why our army has been sent to Saudi Arabia, she posed a question?
She further said that minister was not taking the house into confidence over sending Pakistani troops to Saudi Arabia.
Upon this, National Assembly Speaker said that he would write a letter to Ministry of Defence to take the house in confidence and also inform about the latest situation.
