ISLAMABAD, June 6: The government has purchased 13 new MI-17 helicopters from Russia, including 12 for the Army, for $50.7 million, informed sources told Dawn. They said Pakistan had done the deal with the Kazan Helicopter Plant through a UK-based firm and the last consignment of four choppers had reached Pakistan three days ago.

The UK firm had won the contract in 2003 by submitting the second lowest bid of $3.9 million for a helicopter, the sources said. The lowest bid of $3.4 million for each helicopter, they said, was given by a local firm. But it had failed to submit the earnest money of $1 million at the time of bidding.

Twelve choppers had been purchased for the Army and its allied departments, and one for Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool, the sources said. The Balochistan governor, they said, had also requisitioned for an official helicopter and a bidding for its purchase would be held soon.

According to the audit report on the accounts of defence services (DP Division) 2001-2002, the Army had already purchased 12 MI-17 helicopters from the same Russian plant in 1995.

The sources said Pakistan had given an extensive shopping list of military hardware to the US which also included 120 choppers for the aviation wing of the Army. The phased delivery of the choppers would commence by the end of 2004.

Four or five choppers of the fresh lot would be sent to Wana, they said. When contacted, National Crisis Management Cell Chairman Brig Javed Iqbal Cheema said he was not exactly aware of the purchase of helicopters.

But he denied that the helicopters were being sent to Wana for any fresh operation against tribesmen or foreign militants. "The Army has sufficient logistics to conduct any operation in Wana," he added.

Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan confirmed the purchase of the helicopters, but he also rejected an impression that the choppers were acquired for Wana.

"That was a routine purchase of the Army and acquisition of logistic facilities and other goods for the Army are not made for any specific operation," he said. He said the deal for the purchase of helicopters might have been finalized some years ago when there was nothing in Wana.