Pakistan struggling to get F-16s through third party: Khawja Asif

Pakistan struggling to get F-16s through third party: Khawja Asif
Pakistan holds good relations with Islamic countries: Asif

ISLAMABAD, July 20 (APP): Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif Wednesday said that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was pursuing the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) for fighter jets F-16s through Third Party Transfer (TPT) due to non materialization of F-16s’ deal with USA.

According to a written reply in the Senate, the minister said
that the PAF was also exploring the avenues of acquiring Excess Defence Articles (EDA) of F-16s from other European nations.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid
informed the House the issue of violations of Line of Control by India had been raised in the United Nations Security Council.

Speaking in the Senate during question hour, the minister said a letter had already been written to the United Nations Security Council that was circulated among all its members to apprise them about the gravity of the situation.

He said that India had made 460 kilometer long fence along the Line of Control, adding the fence was 500 meter away from the LoC.

While Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab
Ahmad informed the House that NADRA had registered 127 million individuals, which include 105 million adults and 22 million minors against the estimated population of 200 million of Pakistani citizens in the country and abroad.

He said during Housing and Population Census process, there
were 53 attributes (information) that would be collected through door to door survey process.

However, he added NADRA had only 24 such attributes in its
database and some partial information against 7 other attributes.

He said remaining 22 attributes that were required in
Population Census were not available in NADRA’s database.

Therefore, NADRA database could not be used as a substitute of Housing and Population Census.

He said from 10-05-2016 to 10-07-2016, 114 cases related to car thefts, dacoities and robberies were registers. In sectors I-9 & I-10, the crime rate was found comparatively higher during the period under report.

The steps taken by ICT Police include Identification of Crime
pockets, Crime cluster analysis, crime mapping, Action against car lifters and those involved in kidnappings for ransom, robberies, Survey of Kochi Abadies etc.

He said five thousand and twenty-three (5023) illicit weapons had been recovered from 12,036 accused persons and four thousand, four hundred and fourteen (4414) cases have been registered. As regards disposal of these weapons, the same are deposited in Saddar Mallkhana.

However, after court’s decisions and expiry of appeal period,
these weapons are deposited with District Nazar for auction in accordance with law.

APP Services