Airbase near Jacobabad under US control, Senate panel told

[majesticpankaj]

ISLAMABAD: Health relief operations in Jacobabad are not possible because the airbase in the area is controlled by the US.

The stunning statement was made by Health Secretary Khushnood Lashari during an appearance at the Senate Standing Committee on Health on Wednesday.

“Health relief operations are not possible in the flood-affected areas of Jacobabad because the airbase is with the United States,” Mr Lashari said while answering a question asked by Senator Semeen Yusuf Siddiqui of PML-Q.

Dr Jahanzeb Aurakzai, coordinator of the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Centre, said: “Foreign health teams could not start relief operations in remote areas because there are no airstrips close to several areas, including Jacobabad.”

The town has been evacuated and 500,000 to 700,000 people have been affected. People displaced from Jacobabad, Thul, Kandhkot, Kashmore, Ghouspur and Karumpur are camping in Dera Allahyar.

“It is very unfortunate that Americans can launch a drone attack from Shahbaz airbase but the government is helpless even in using the country’s base for relief operations,” Senator Semeen said while talking to this correspondent.

She said the health ministry should have requested the army to ask the US to allow relief operation from the base.

“I don’t know why the health minister failed to report the matter to the quarters concerned, specifically the Pakistan Army.

“The airbase, which I think the government has given on lease to the Americans, should be used to provide immediate health relief to the flood-affected people.”

The committee, headed by Senator Kulsoom Parveen, was briefed by officials on health-related operations in the affected areas.

APP adds: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman has ordered PAF to form an air bridge of relief supply for Jacobabad which has been cut off from the rest of the country and make operational an airfield near Sibi for immediate supply of relief goods to flood-hit areas in the vicinity.

Presiding over a meeting, he asked the air staff to use all available human and material resources to provide timely relief to the affected people.

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Airbase near Jacobabad under US control, Senate panel told

IMO it is suicidal, it will surely raise some eyebrows

 

[GMAIL]

“Health relief operations are not possible in the flood-affected areas of Jacobabad because the airbase is with the United States"

why Pakistan cant use their own base ??

they can say us troop to leave that base for some time

 

[GentlemanObserver]

Already posted!

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

“Health relief operations are not possible in the flood-affected areas of Jacobabad because the airbase is with the United States"

why Pakistan cant use their own base ??

they can say us troop to leave that base for some time

Its a lease which has legal values

 

[GMAIL]

Its a lease which has legal values

but lease values is not more that humanity

 

[GentlemanObserver]

but lease values is not more that humanity

Its a legally binding contract and we have other bases. This is a lot of Hoo Haaa for nothing!

 

[trident2010]

Shahbaz air base 'controlled' by US: Pak health secretary



ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Shahbaz air force base in southern Sindh province, which is home to the country's newest F-16 jets, is "controlled by the US", a senior official has said, triggering a denial from America which described the remarks as "completely false."

Health secretary Khushnood Lashari made the stunning claim about the Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad area during an appearance before the Standing Committee on Health of the Senate or upper house of Parliament yesterday.

Lashari said the relief operations in flood-hit areas of Jacobabad could not be conducted from the airbase because of this reason.

"Health relief operations are not possible in the flood-affected areas of Jacobabad because the airbase is with the United States," he said answering a question from a member of the committee.

There have been unconfirmed reports in the past that the Shahbaz airbase is used by the US to operate drones which have been targeting militants in Pakistan's restive tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.

Senator Semeen Yusuf Siddiqui, a member of the Senate panel, was quoted by the media as saying, "It is very unfortunate that Americans can launch a drone attack from Shahbaz airbase but the government is helpless even in using the country's base for relief operations."

She questioned why the health minister had failed to report the matter to the Pakistan Army.

However, the US embassy denied that Shahbaz airbase was controlled by American authorities.

"These allegations are completely false. Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad is a Pakistan Air Force base, commanded and operated by PAF forces," the embassy's spokesman said in a statement.

The Shahbaz airbase is home to Pakistan's newest F-16 Block 52 jets that were delivered by the US this summer, the spokesman said.

"PAF personnel maintain high security standards there to ensure that the technologically advanced aircraft can be securely maintained and operated from the base," he said.

On August 18, at the request of the Pakistan government, C-130 aircraft of the US Air Force flew to Shahbaz airbase from the PAF base in Rawalpindi to ferry urgently needed relief supplies for Jacobobad, the spokesman said.

He contended that "misinformation during times of disaster can hurt relief efforts."

The US has emerged as one of the main contributors of funding and relief materials for the millions of victims of the floods across Pakistan in a bid to counter rising anti-American sentiments in the country.


Shahbaz air base 'controlled' by US: Pak health secretary - Pakistan - World - The Times of India