Senate Defence Committee would make all out effort to facilitate ASF: says Mushahid

Date : November 13, 2012

ISLAMABAD: November 12th. The Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production unanimously approved the bill titled “Airports Security Force (Amendment) Bill 2012” in a meeting presided over by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed at the Parliament House on November 12, 2012. Sardar Saleem Haider Khan Minister of State of Defence in the Senate moved the Bill on 11th October, 2012 and presented it to the Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production for further deliberation. Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence R/Admiral Farrokh Ahmed gave a detailed overview of the ASF Act and the reasons for amendment. Senior officers of the Establishment Division, ASF, Finance Division and other relevant departments also explained the Committee about their view point on the bill. The Committee told the Ministry of Defence to evaluate the restructuring of ASF to surmount the dichotomy in pay scales and ranks of ASF Security and Assistant Security Officers. The Committee gave 90 days to Ministry to finish this process. Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that ASF is a vital security force and Senate Defence Committee will make utmost effort to facilitate the working and performance of ASF. The meeting was also attended by Senator Ishaq Dar, Senator Farhatullah Babar besides senior officers of the ministries of Defence, Establishment Division, Law and other related departments. He said, on the whole, ASF was performing an intricate duty with professionalism and the Senate Defence Committee would try to uphold its aptitude to augment security at the 26 airports functioning in Pakistan.