Allowing US army to build tactical command centre: Rabbani accuses government of violating PCNS terms

Senator Raza Rabbani, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), on Wednesday accused the government of violating the panel's terms of engagement by allowing US Army Corps of Engineer to build a tactical command operations centre (TCOC) at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Pakistan granted permission to the US Army last week to exchange information with Pakistan Customs Drug Enforcement Cell concerning smuggling activities in and around Karachi. Rabbani, who was speaking on a call-attention notice, termed the move very dangerous, saying: "This is not acceptable [and it] tantamount to put the national security at risk."
"In the presence of terms of engagements made by the PCNS and approved by the joint sitting of parliament, there are media reports that some of its clauses have been violated while granting the permission to the US," he added. He moved the notice to draw the attention of the Minister for Finance, Revenue, Planning and Development and Economic Affairs, Saleem Mandviwala.
The minister surprised Rabbani and others when he said he had received the notice only an hour ago and needed a day to come up with details in this regard and respond to the senators' concerns. He also said he had been told that he was to brief the house on the domestic economic situation and the position of loans.
Rabbani pointed out that a US website contended that the centre would be built to curb smuggling from Karachi and adjoining coastal areas. He noted that Customs department had clarified that the American engineers would only build the TCOC, while it would be manned by local personnel.
In response, Rabbani sought explanation on certain terms mentioned on the US website such as 'quick response' and 'co-ordinate' and said why such terms had been used if the centre were to be manned by Pakistanis. He asked the minister to inform the House in detail on the issue.
He said that he had no objection about granting more time but why did the minister come to know about the notice an hour ago, while it had been filed on Tuesday. "This raises more concerns. On the one hand, foreigners have been allowed to build a tactical command centre, and on the other, the minister says he is unaware (about the whole issue)," he said and asked that what would be the guarantee of sovereignty. However, the chairman Senate directed Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to give a policy statement on this issue. "Let us see what the foreign minister has to say...she will give a policy statement," he said.
24TH AMENDMENT BILL, 2013 The PPP-led government failed to adopt the 24th Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2013 - envisaging the creation of Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab (BJP) - for the second consecutive day because of a lack of quorum.
The bill was on the agenda and Law Minister Farooq H Naek was also present in the house, but the Chairman Senate adjourned the sitting until 4pm on Monday. There will be no sitting on Thursday and Friday and the PPP is expected to ensure the required number of senators' presence in the house to adopt the bill.
MONEY BILL Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abbas Khan could not lay before the Senate a copy of the Rule of Acceding States (Abolition of Privy Purses and Privileges) (Amendment) Bill, 2013, under the tag of the Money Bill, after it was resisted by the treasury and opposition benches, including Senator Rabbani, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Ishaq Dar and Babar Awan.
They shared unanimity that the bill could not be tabled in the form of the Money Bill. They said that past governments had done so but it was a wrong practice it should not be repeated. However, using discretionary powers, the chair allowed the tabling of the bill and then referred it to the House Standing Committee concerned, asking it to submit recommendations within 14 days. The chair did not allow ANP's Haji Muhammad Adeel to table an amendment to the Senate rules and advised him to first take other partners on board in this connection.