The Senate standing committee on Defence and Defence Production, has underlined the need for the revival of military lands and cantonment group.
The Committee, which met in the Parliament House here on Friday, under the Chairmanship of Senator Lieutenant General Javed Ashraf (Retd) suggested that the cantonment boards should give preference to local population while making recruitment from grade 1 to 16.
The committee made these recommendations while having a briefing on the working, performance and functioning of the Cantonment Boards by Military Lands and Cantonment Departments. The Director General Military Lands and Cantonment Department gave an overview of the organisational structure, functions and performance of ML&C.
He also apprised the committee about government policy with respect to government military lands inside cantonments and also with respect to government lands leased to the defence forces for specific purposes in areas outside cantonments and implementation of the policy.
The committee was informed that ML&C Department renders valuable advice to armed forces at local, regional and departmental level and that it also looks after the services headquarters interest by providing expert assistance housing by means of hiring requisitioning accommodation.
The committee was informed that Wapda owes billions of rupees to Cantonment Boards on account of property tax, ground rent line rent and other taxes. Even all disputed dues against Wapda are adjusted from Cantonment Boards dues, a huge amount will be left against Wapda, the committee was informed The Committee called for resolving the issue amicably and suggested that the Ministry of Finance may get the issue resolved in consultation with the two organisations.
It was brought to the notice of the Committee that Defence Housing Authority, Karachi owes over 280 million rupees to Cantonment Board Clifton on account of taxes.
The committee directed the concerned authorities to ensure that the dues outstanding against DHA may be given to the Military Land and Cantonment Department to meet its requirements.
The committee was of the view that the cantonments which have over the years been surrounded by large civilian population, should be shifted under a phased programme to areas away from the big cities so that training and other professional activities of the defence forces are carried out uninterrupted.
In reply to a query from a Member, the Committee was informed that there was no concept of leasing out land by the federal government to the Defence Forces outside the Cantonments A Member of the Committee suggested that a comprehensive law for managing defence lands both inside and outside Cantonments limits needs to be enacted.
The meeting was attended, besides the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Lieutenant General Javed Ashraf (Retd) and the Minister for Defence, Rao Sikandar Iqbal by senators, Mohammad Akram, Naeem Hussain Chattha, Farhat Ullah Babar, Sardar Mahtab Ahmad, Mohim Khan Baloch, Kamran Murtaza and Mrs. Rukhsana Zuberi.
Director General Military Land and Cantonments Department and senior officers of ML&C were also present in the meeting.