IANS, Islamabad: Pakistan has purchased 13 new MI-17 helicopters from Russia in a $50.7 million deal but it was not immediately clear whether they would be used against Al Qaida-Taliban remnants in the northern WANA region.
The region has been in ferment ever since the US launched its operations in Afghanistan in October 2001 to oust the country's Taliban rulers.
Twelve helicopters are meant for the army and one for the Punjab government, Dawn reported Monday. The last consignment of four choppers arrived Friday.
This is the second time in nine years that Pakistan has purchased MI-17's from the Kazan Helicopter Plant. It had bought 12 in 1995.
The purchase was made through a Britain-based firm that won the contract in 2003 by submitting the second lowest bid of $3.9 million per machine.
A local firm had submitted the lowest bid of $3.4 million per craft but did not furnish earnest money of $1 million at the time of bidding.
The MI-17s are independent of the 120 helicopters Pakistan has sought from the US for the army's aviation wing, Dawn quoted sources as saying.
According to them, four or five machines from the fresh lot would be sent to WANA.
Inter-Services Public Relations chief Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan confirmed the purchase of the helicopters but rejected the impression they were being sent to WANA.
“That was a routine purchase by the army. The acquisition of logistic facilities and other goods by the army are not made for any specific operation,” Sultan contended.
Large numbers of Taliban militia and Al Qaida cadres are believed to have taken shelter in the mountainous WANA region but the Pakistani Army has been unable to oust them, largely because tribesmen of the area support the rebels.
