Sources told Business Recorder on Thursday that the US embassy has approached the foreign affairs ministry for legal arrangements to provide framework and protection to US military and civilian personnel taking part in the ongoing quake relief operations in Pakistan.
At present, there are over 300 US military and civilian personnel taking part in the relief operations, and a couple of hundreds are expected to come soon, said US embassy, adding the proposed arrangements are a standard practice under circumstances involving out of the country deployment of US troops.
The US embassy has requested the foreign affairs ministry to give US civilian and military personnel status equivalent to the administrative/technical staff of the US embassy under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961, and they may enter and exit Pakistan with US identification and with collective movement or individual travel order.
It also proposed that such personnel be authorised to wear uniforms while performing their official duties and carry arms while on duty, if authorised to do so by a specific order.
The US also demanded that the Pakistan may permit duty-free import/export as well as exemption from all kinds of domestic taxes/charges on products, property, material and equipment imported or acquired by the US government for carrying out smooth relief activities.
Vehicles, vessels and aircraft owned and operated exclusively by the US armed forces shall not be subject to the payment of landing or port fees, pilotage charges, navigation, overflight or parking charges, light and harbour dues or overland transit fees in Pakistan. Whereas US armed forces would pay reasonable charges for the services requested and received by them.
In the event that agreed activities involve the use of contractors, the US government shall award contracts for the acquisition of articles and services, in accordance with its laws and regulations, including the right to choose such contracts and department of defence contractors and their employees would be accorded the same privileges as US armed forces and department of defence civilian personnel with regard to licensing and registration of vehicles, drivers and professional licensees pertaining to import, export and acquisition of goods and equipment for official and personal use.
The US embassy also proposed that both governments should waiver claims against each other damage, loss or destruction of other property or injury or death to the personnel of the two governments arising out of the activities related to the relief operations.
The US request and foreign affairs ministry's response would form part of the agreement to be inked between the US and Pakistan, the US embassy diplomatic note added.