ISLAMABAD: The Senate was provided on Wednesday details of commercial entities being run by various wings of the armed forces in the country.

In a written reply to a question asked by Senator Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif informed the house that there were nearly 50 “projects, units and housing colonies” functioning in the country under the administrative control of Fauji Foundation, Shaheen Foun­dation, Bahria Foundation, Army Welfare Trust (AWT) and Defence Housing Authorities (DHAs).

According to the details provided in the reply, eight DHAs were established in major cities. These DHAs — mostly created through ordinances — are in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi-Islama­bad, Multan, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Peshawar and Quetta.

Besides, there are 16 “projects/units” functioning under the AWT, 15 under the Fauji Foundation and 11 under the Shaheen Founda­tion.

The house was informed that Bahria Foundation was not administrating any housing colony in Pakistan, “however, an offshore tolling type LNG project is under its consideration”.

Bahria Foundation not administrating any housing colony, Senate told

The projects/units being run by the AWT are:

Two stud farms in Pakpattan and Okara Army Welfare Sugar Mills, Badin Askari Project (shoe and woollen), Lahore Army Welfare Mess and Blue Lagoon Restaurant, Rawalpindi Real estate comprising three small housing schemes in Lahore, Badaber and Sangjani Askari General Insurance Co Ltd Rawalpindi Askari Aviation Services, Rawalpindi MAL Pakistan Ltd Karachi Askari Guards (Pvt) Ltd, head office (HO) in Rawalpindi Askari Fuels (CNG) with HO in Rawalpindi Askari Seeds, Okara Askari Enterprises, Rawalpindi Fauji Security Services (acquired from Fauji Foundation), HO in Rawalpindi Askari Apparel, Lahore Askari Lagoon, Faisalabad.

The projects/units under Fauji Foundation are:

Fauji Cereals Foundation Gas Fauji Fertiliser Company Ltd Fauji Cement Co Ltd Fauji Oil Terminal and Distillery Co Ltd Fauji Kabirwala Power Company Ltd Foundation Power Co (Dharki) Ltd Askari Cement Ltd Askari Bank Ltd Foundation Wind Energy (I and II) Ltd Noon Pakistan Ltd Lahore Fauji Meat Ltd Fauji Fertiliser Bin Qasim Ltd Fauji Akbar Partia Marine Terminal Ltd, HO in Karachi.

A company under the name of Pakistan Maroc Phosphore SA was set up in Morocco by the Fauji Foundation in 2008.

Similarly, the projects, units and housing colonies under the administrative control of Shaheen Foun­dation, which is a trust of the Pakistan Air Force, are:

Shaheen Airport Services Shaheen Aerotraders Shaheen Knitwear Shaheen Complex, Karachi Shaheen Complex, Lahore Shaheen Medical Services Hawk Advertising Fazaia Welfare Education School System SAPS Aviation College Air Eagle Aviation Academy Shaheen Welfare Housing Scheme, Peshawar.

The Senate was told that Shaheen Foundation was established in 1977 under the Charitable Endowment Act 1890 “to promote welfare activities for the benefit of serving and retired PAF personnel, including civilians and their dependents, and to this end generate fund through industrial and commercial enterprises”.

Turkish people supported

Later, the house unanimously passed a resolution expressing solidarity with the democratic government and people of Turkey. The resolution was tabled by Azam Swati of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

“The Senate admires, congratulates and pays its tribute to the brave people of Turkey who displayed an uncommon courage by upholding democratic norms and defeated military coup and saved their country from anarchy and civil war,” says the resolution.

“It was so moving to see common Turks took to the streets and world witnessed that human flesh stopped steel tanks on just a single call of its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” says the resolution, which “admired all opposition political parties for their historic and unprecedented resolve to protect democracy.”

During the question hour, Law Minister Zahid Hamid informed the house that India had made 460km-long fence along the Line of Control (LoC).

He said the issue of LoC violations by India had been raised at the UN Security Council through a letter that had also been circulated among all its members.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2016