Issue of land for generals echoes in Senate

The allotment of huge chunks of agricultural land to top military generals on their retirement as reward for their services echoed in the Senate today (Wednesday) when Sen Farhatullah Babar pressed for examination of the matter. In a carefully-worded speech apparently aimed at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Sen Babar of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP), stated that the issue involved a number of questions, including whether such allotments were governed by legislation or rules and regulations and who framed those rules and when.
Speaking on a point of order, the senator said the application of the rules in the past and in the future "needs to be streamlined." He added that there also is the question of "who among the retired senior officials were entitled to this extraordinary privilege."
General Raheel Sharif was allotted around 90 acres of agricultural land in Lahore that triggered a debate about the logic behind the grant of land. General Sharif, who retired in November, has been allotted 50 acres of land in capacity of a four-star general and remaining the 40 acres for being the army chief.
The ISPR, the media wing of the military, had to step in to clarify the position over the allotment of 90 acres of land to the former army chief. It said that all such allotments were made in accordance with a "constitutional provision." Terming the issue both sensitive and important, Sen Babar called for its examination in a relevant committee of the Senate, which could discuss it in-camera if needed. It would be in the interest of everyone if there is transparency and the procedure is reviewed by the parliament.
As these allotments are claimed to have been made under laws and regulations "and it is important that these are also examined in a holistic manner by the legislature," he said.
Senate chairman Raza Rabbani reserved his ruling, saying that he would consider how best to proceed with post-retirement benefits to public officials.
"I don't want to say anything on it...we'll see in all contexts [ie] bureaucracy, judiciary etc," he added. The senators severely criticised the PIA management for selling out a PIA plane to someone in Germany by its chief executive officer, a German national, without any tender being floated.
Speaking on a point of public importance, Sen Saleem Mandviwalla criticised the mismanagement within the cash-starved PIA, saying operational plane was flown out to Germany by PIA crew members and sold out to the German national at the throwaway price of Rs 7 million. He came to know about this from PIA pilots "who are ready to testify before the court or anywhere else...a running plane was sold out without any tender by the PIA management. This is a unique case as such things happen nowhere in the world."
Sen Mushahidullah Khan of the PML-N seconded Sen Mandviwalla, said he also had information about the issue, and called for a thorough probe into the matter to pinpoint those behind the scandal. The Senate chairman referred the issue to parliamentary committee on PIA headed by Sen Mushahidullah Khan to probe into the matter and report back to the House in the next session.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed said that the plane was sold out after no party turned up in the tendering process. He tried to cover the matter by saying Germany wanted to keep the plane in a museum. This forced Chairman Raza Rabbani to inquire whether the plane had ever remained in Hitler's use for Germany to be keen to display it in a museum. The minister said that an inquiry had been ordered into the matter, which will conclude its findings within a month.
On another issue of public importance, Sen Babar drew the senator's attention to the kidnapping and unlawful confinement of two teenagers by Islamabad police on Sunday, who were later recovered from Islamabad's Karachi Company police station. Calling it a serious incident involving human rights and liberties, Sen Rabbani referred it to the human rights committee of the Senate, directing it to investigate and report on the matter during the next session.
Sen Saleh Shah raised the issue of a recent census form which he said is completely flawed, as the authorities had mentioned that if a person is away from home for education, job or any other purposes, he or she will not be counted as a member of the his/her family.
He said if this remains the criterion for the census, it will be an exercise in futility as almost one person in every home will be away from home, as people are doing jobs and studying in different cities throughout the country. The Senate chairman referred the issue to the committee concerned of the House with a directive that it report back in the next session.