Why Pakistan Air Force needed a new Air Base in Balochistan?

The Pakistani Air Force has confirmed that it is considering building a new airport (air base) in Balochistan province.
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

The Pakistani Air Force has confirmed that it is considering building a new airport (air base) in Balochistan province. The Deputy Commissioner of Nasirabad district told the BBC that the Air Force had approached the administration for land acquisition in this regard, after which they have been inspected for land in the Nautal area of ​​Nasirabad.

David F. Hallway, said that Pakistan has backed its air and ground borders

According to the news agency AFP, this news has come at a time when the Pentagon, an American Defense Ministry official, David F. Hallway, has said that Pakistan has backed its air and ground borders to support its army in Afghanistan. The use of it is allowed.

According to the Sources, US Secretary of State Indo-Pacific Affairs David F Hallway told the US Senate Armed Services Committee last week that the US would continue to work closely with Pakistan. Because Pakistan has an important role in restoring peace in Afghanistan.

Local media claimed that the air base to be built in Nasirabad district is actually being built at the request of the US Army

After these news came to the fore, the local media has claimed that the air base to be built in Nasirabad district is actually being built at the request of the US Army and the air base will be used by the US. However, Pakistan Air Force spokesperson and Foreign Ministry denied this, saying that no such proposal is being considered. Speaking to the BBC, an Air Force spokesman said that the proposal to build a new airport in Balochistan is a simple matter and no final decision has been taken in this regard. According to the spokesperson, four sites are being considered for this airport but the final decision is yet to be taken.

Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri tweeted

On the other hand, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry denied these reports, saying that Pakistan has neither the US Army, nor any air base nor any such proposal is being considered. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri tweeted, "All the speculation in this regard is baseless and irresponsible which should be avoided. (Pakistan's) air and ground cooperation with the US has continued since 2001."

According to the AFP, the US official said in response to a question that "Pakistan has played a very important role in Afghanistan. Pakistan has assisted in the peace process plan in Afghanistan, in addition to this, Pakistan has used its air service to Afghanistan in Afghanistan. It has also helped in providing help to the army. " At the same time, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin has tweeted that he has spoken to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Austin tweeted on his Twitter handle

Austin wrote in a tweet, "Today I got a chance to talk to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. I reiterated my appreciation of US-Pakistan relations and also the desire to work together for regional security and stability. "

Where is the proposal to build a new airbase under consideration?

Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

Nautal is located 25 kilometers from Dera Murad Jamali, the headquarters of Nasirabad district in Balochistan. Nautal is a barren plain and most of its part is not fertile. Since the worsening situation in Balochistan, some areas of Nasirabad district have been affected by insurgency. A spokesman for the Pakistani Air Force said that the reports in the media were baseless and merely a rumor that the air base was being built for the US or would be handed over to them.

According to the spokesperson, if the work started at the air base, it will not be built overnight, but after the final decision and approval, it will take eight to ten years to complete. The deputy commissioner of Nasirabad told the BBC that "the proposal has come forward not for a new airbase but for an operational site". He said that according to his information, "Right now the Pakistani Air Force has to build a colony, build an operational site or construct something on this land, but it will not be a big air base." He said that "We welcome the arrival of Pakistan Air Force, they should come, because it will bring development and prosperity in the region". Keep in mind that earlier this month Pakistan Air Force officials visited the site.

'Pakistan Army will not hand over any air base to America'

Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

Speaking to the BBC, Lieutenant General Amjad Shoaib (retd) says that no airport will be given to America by the army. According to Amjad, at present there is no such facility in Nasirabad and it is also important from the point of view of Air Base C-Pack. Ajmad, said if there is any conspiracy against the C-pack, then it will be possible to eliminate any kind of negative activity from this air base.

According to Amjad Shoaib, the air base will not be much larger, because its aim will be to maintain peace in the southern part. Ajmad said if the need arises, the US can be allowed access to the road to Chaman and he is already using this road. According to him, if American soldiers need supplies, they will be able to take them from Karachi Airport. However, he said that after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, this need has become very less.

Talking about Nasirabad Air Base, General Amjad Shoaib said that at this time our response time is too much to eliminate any terrorism. "We still have to respond to Quetta. The air base in Jacobabad is not so close."

Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

According to him, the Jacobabad airbase, though a short distance away, has its own special significance in the context of the Indian border.

Kamran Yusuf said Pakistan has been helping America

Kamran Yusuf, a senior journalist reporting on defense issues related to the English newspaper Express Tribune, told the BBC that the US would retain its presence in the region in one way or the other, and this is the desire of Pakistan's military officials as well. According to Kamran Yusuf, the military leadership believes that when America is present in this region, Pakistan will also gain an edge, because America will continue to feel the need of Pakistan. According to him, historically Pakistan has been helping America. However, according to him, nothing is said about such agreements immediately to avoid public opposition.

According to him, it is likely that both countries will enter into such agreements in which such help can be continued. According to him, Pervez Musharraf had asked the Corps Commanders to be neutral after 9/11, but it was later revealed that Shamsi Air Base had already been handed over to the US.

Remember that Shahid Aziz, who was the Corps Commander along with Pervez Musharraf, revealed in his book 'This silence is far' that Pervez Musharraf as Chief of Army Staff said in a meeting of Corps Commanders that Pakistan would remain neutral on the US . But the commanders also came to know that Shamsi Air Base had already been handed over to the US.

According to Kamran Yusuf, when the former Ayub Khan offered the Peshawar airport to the US against the Soviet Union, then the situation was different. But now Pakistan cannot ignore China before such cooperation and certainly Pakistani authorities must have taken China in confidence in this regard as well.

Pakistan Air Force's second project near Jacobabad

Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

Jacobabad is the border district of Sindh with Baluchistan and Zafarabad district of Baluchistan bordering Nasirabad with Jacobabad in the southeast. Shahbaz Airbase is a major air base of Pakistan Air Force at Jacobabad. Nautal Sindh is about 70 km from Jacobabad.

After the US invasion of Afghanistan, Jacobabad's air base has been in use of the US Air Force in Afghanistan for military action against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Like Jacobabad, Afghanistan is also located north of Nautal. In the south or south-western areas of Jacobabad and Nautal, Afghanistan or other areas bordering Pakistan are also most affected by the insurgency.

What other airports exist near Nautal?

While the airbase of Jacobabad is very close to Nautal, Nautal also has an airport in Sibi district. Although this airport built during the British era is not very big and modern, but apart from C-One Thirty aircraft, it is also used for small aircraft.

Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News
Source: Google/ Image Credit: BBC News

Which airbases have been used by the US in Baluchistan?

Balochistan has six districts bordering Afghanistan, including Zhob, Qila Saifullah, Pashin, Qila Abdullah, Noshki and Chagi. These districts were part of British Baluchistan during the British era, where the British built many small airstrips to prevent any possible action of Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union.

However, after the formation of Pakistan, airports were built in the underdeveloped areas of Zhob and Chagi districts. Although there was no news that the US had openly used any of these airports for attacks in Afghanistan, it was openly said that Shamsi air base in Kharan district, adjacent to Chagi district It has been in use in America. However, after the US attack on Salala check post, this air base was emptied by the US.

Due to lack of publicity in the local newspapers of Balochistan of this new project of Air Force in Nautal, there is not much response from the political parties yet. However, the Nationalist Party Balochistan National Movement has opposed the project.

In a statement issued by party chief Khalil Baloch, terming it as a major military plan in Balochistan, the state and its military establishment accelerated the policy of increasing their occupation in Balochistan and converting Baloch soil into a full-fledged military cantonment.

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