ISLAMABAD, June 16: The present government has paid almost 12 times more for an aircraft for PIA compared with the deals finalised by the previous government, the record placed before the National Assembly here on Wednesday revealed.
In response to a question by MNA Asif Tauseef, Minister for Defence Rao Sikander Iqbal told the National Assembly that three Boeing 777-247ER were purchased by the present government from Boeing USA at a cost of $359 million with an average cost of US119.6 million.
The aircraft purchased by the government include B777-240ER aircraft AP-BGJ manufactured in January 2004 at a cost of $120.1 million, AP-BGK manufactured in February 2004 at a cost of $119.3 million and AP-BGL manufactured in March 2004 at a cost of $119.6 million.
The information placed before the House showed that six B747-300 were purchased by the previous government under a package deal of $62 million from June 1999 till November 1999 at an average cost of $10.35 million for each aircraft.
The B747-300 purchased by the previous government till November 1999 at an average cost of US$10.35 million included AP- BFW manufactured in June 1985 and inducted in June 1999, AP-BFU manufactured in February 1986 and inducted in April 1999, AP-BFV manufactured in October 1986 and inducted in April 1999, AP-BFX manufactured in November 1987 and inducted in April 1999, AP-BGG manufactured in July 1988 and inducted into PIA in November 1999.
The defence minister also told the House that two aircraft A310-340 had been inducted into the PIA on operating lease from Airbus Leasing Inc USA, a subsidiary of Airbus France, at a lease rental of US$182,500 per month.
The A310-340 aircraft included AP-BGO manufactured in May 1993 and inducted into PIA in December 2003 and AP-BGP manufactured in June 1993 and inducted into the national carrier's fleet during March 2004.
In response to another question, Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal, in a written response to the National Assembly said PIA was replacing the existing Sicma mechanical seats with Avio Interiors electrically operated Sleeprettes (Lie Flat) seats on A310 aircraft in the Business Class only.
He said the cost of Avio-Interior double seats was $36,333 and the total cost of the seats for six A310 aircraft was $1.31 million only. The National Assembly was also informed that the vehicles in the official use of the federal ministers were causing the taxpayers thousands of rupees expenditure per month.
In response to the questions by MNA Inayat Begum about the number of official vehicles in the use of ministers for defence and railways, the House was told that the staff car of the minister for defence incurred an expenditure of Rs125,482 on account of maintenance and consumed 3,034 litres of petrol during the past one year.
The House was also informed that the staff car of the minister for railways, Ghous Bux Khan Mehar, incurred an expenditure of Rs166,380 on account of POL and maintenance.
Earlier on June 11, in response to a question by MNA Inayat Begum, the National Assembly was told that the vehicle, Toyota 1600 CC IDG-7425, used by the education minister, Zobaida Jalal, incurred an average expenditure of Rs22,525 per month just on account of POL and repairs and maintenance from July 2003 till June 2004.
