A visit to Shahbaz airbase: All is well...

After spending hours at the base with Gen Kayani and other reporters, I still didn't have answers to my questions.

Zahid Gishkori February 23, 2012
I reached Shahbaz airbase along with several other journalists and senior Pakistan Air Force officials, to inspect the 36 new F-16 C Block 52 fighters. We were accompanied by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Chief of Air Staff Rao Qamar Suleman. We toured the revamped base where the recently acquired aircraft will be housed, and which has reportedly cost the government over $5 billion!

I could not see any American soldiers at the airbase, which is only 345 km away from Kandahar, Afghanistan. Everyone, including both the army and air force chiefs, appeared to be grateful to the United States for cooperating with the PAF in revamping the base as well as for providing modern aircraft to maintain regional strategic balance.

I, however, could not find answers to my queries despite spending more than three hours with both the officers. My questions related to our reliance on America’s help as well as apprehensions on India’s proposed $13 billion deal with France to purchase 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft. I wanted to know whether this would not place Pakistan at a clear disadvantage in South Asia.

My journalist colleagues also asked the army and air chiefs several questions, but none of the questions relating to India or America were answered. Later on, during lunch, some of our queries were answered. For example, when asked whether General Kayani was in search of another extension, he replied that the question should rather be put before the government.

He was asked who will decide whether or not to resume Nato supplies, and he said that this would be done by parliament. While enjoying a smoke, the army chief said the military was fighting militants but also trying to inflict minimum damage on the people in federally administered tribal areas.

When asked whether the standoff between the civilian leadership and military had cooled down, the arm chief claimed ‘all is well’. Meanwhile, the air chief said Shahbaz airbase was now completely under the operational control of the PAF and claimed the air force was fully capable of shooting down drones.

Despite the strained relationship between Pakistan and the US, it seems that the cooperation between the two allies is inevitable. A paradigm shift, however, is needed to keep the balance in these relations; it will not only lead both Islamabad and Washington to give a logical end to the Afghan endgame but also keep balance of power in the region.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the reporter visited Shamsi airbase. This has now been changed to Shahbaz airbase.
WRITTEN BY:
Zahid Gishkori
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (18)

P | 11 years ago | Reply If there was no US personnel at Shabaz air base. then what happened with the special agreement between Pakistan and the USA regarding security of the F-16 technology: The security notes also mandate a 5-year, 24/7 U.S. technology security presence for the F-16s. SAF/IA has determined that when fully in place, the U.S. security presence should consist of 45 U.S. personnel -- 40 at Shahbaz (5 U.S. military and 35 contractors), and 5 in Islamabad (2 U.S. military, 1 USG civilian, 2 contractors). The estimated cost of the U.S. security presence is $30 million per year, or $150 million for the full 5-year period. http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09ISLAMABAD2398&q=jacobabad
Zahid Gishkori | 12 years ago | Reply Dear ET Readers: It's was an honest mistake on my behalf. I tendered apology here. You better understand Shamsi Airbase remained in limelight and we being journalists used to write excessively on this hot issue. This was the main reason which led me to write Shamsi Airbase rather than Shahbaz Airbase. Hope you will forgive me and will continue to give their feedback.... Regards
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