zimfinalpush
 |
| Pakistani security experts hired by Robert Mugabe in response to mass resignations and desertions |
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, whose army has been severely weakened by mass resignations and desertions, has imported military experts from Pakistan to try to strengthen his security forces.
The Pakistani experts have been seconded to train the Zimbabwean army as an upsurge in strikes by poorly paid workers threatens civil unrest.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri recently warned Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi in a memo that increased resignations from the police and army would make the country's security "easy to breach".
The Pakistanis will each stay in Zimbabwe for at least two years and will be paid in very scarce US dollars.
The First Secretary at the Pakistani Embassy in Harare, Safdara Hayat, confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistani military experts were already in Zimbabwe to train the army.
He said the experts were brought in under a military co-operation agreement with Zimbabwe signed last week.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has strongly condemned the Pakistani deal, saying it proved the "Mugabe regime was in perennial combat with its people".
Spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Zimbabwe was not at war but Mugabe would rather spend scarce foreign reserves on importing "gunmen" instead of importing fuel and grain for the hungry. This proved his priority was to cling to power at all costs.
It is not clear how many Pakistani officers are coming to Zimbabwe. Hayat said he thought only the four Pakistani experts now training Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) officers would be coming.
But a report on the website of Pakistan's Daily Times, quoting unnamed Pakistani army sources, implied many more would be posted.
The report said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had approved the deal, which included extra pay for those deployed in Zimbabwe. Officers would get US$1,500 to US$3,300 plus allowances and privileges such as free accommodation and medical cover. Lower ranks would get from US$615 to US$712 plus extras.
This is much more than Zimbabwean soldiers are paid.
The Pakistani experts have been seconded to train the Zimbabwean army as an upsurge in strikes by poorly paid workers threatens civil unrest.
Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri recently warned Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi in a memo that increased resignations from the police and army would make the country's security "easy to breach".
The Pakistanis will each stay in Zimbabwe for at least two years and will be paid in very scarce US dollars.
The First Secretary at the Pakistani Embassy in Harare, Safdara Hayat, confirmed on Tuesday that Pakistani military experts were already in Zimbabwe to train the army.
He said the experts were brought in under a military co-operation agreement with Zimbabwe signed last week.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has strongly condemned the Pakistani deal, saying it proved the "Mugabe regime was in perennial combat with its people".
Spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Zimbabwe was not at war but Mugabe would rather spend scarce foreign reserves on importing "gunmen" instead of importing fuel and grain for the hungry. This proved his priority was to cling to power at all costs.
It is not clear how many Pakistani officers are coming to Zimbabwe. Hayat said he thought only the four Pakistani experts now training Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) officers would be coming.
But a report on the website of Pakistan's Daily Times, quoting unnamed Pakistani army sources, implied many more would be posted.
The report said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had approved the deal, which included extra pay for those deployed in Zimbabwe. Officers would get US$1,500 to US$3,300 plus allowances and privileges such as free accommodation and medical cover. Lower ranks would get from US$615 to US$712 plus extras.
This is much more than Zimbabwean soldiers are paid.
Copy addresses and emails from any email account to Yahoo! Mail - quick, easy and free. Do it now...
No comments:
Post a Comment