The United States is considering shifting its operations from Jacobabad to Mianwali Airport and a formal request to Pakistan is being made but Islamabad is not yet clear on how to respond, sources said on Thursday. The US forces are already enjoying logistic facilities at Jacobabad, Pasni, Panjgur and Dalbandin. However, they are mainly using Jacobabad airport. Due to the recent resentment expressed by the residents of Jacobabad and a firing incident on a US aircraft, US authorities now want to shift their major operations to Mianwali, they said. The Mianwali Airport, adjacent to Dera Ismail Khan, has a unique location. It has a major set-up of Pakistan Air Force and security situation is said to be much better and 'satisfactory'. Moreover, Kandahar and Kabul are about equal distance from Mianwali.
The Pakistani authorities are said to be reluctant to give permission for Mianwali due to its proximity to the Chashma Atomic power plant, located north of Mianwali. On the other hand, the US and allied forces are also trying to use the facilities of a private airstrip at Al-Shamsi in Kharan district. This 9,000 feet long airstrip is owned and used by a royal family of UAE but so far they have not agreed to its use for military purposes by the US. |
