Pakistan claimed that a Karachi-bound ship which had been stopped and seized in Mumbai in January had been carrying “commercial goods,” according to a report in indiashippingnews.com. In an official Foreign Office statement on Sunday, Pakistan rejected India’s allegations that the ship had been carrying machines for a nuclear programme.
“This is a simple case of import of a commercial lathe machine by a Karachi-based commercial entity which supplies parts to the automobile industry in Pakistan. Specifications of the equipment clearly indicate its purely commercial use. The transaction was being conducted through transparent banking channels with all the relevant documentation,” the statement said.
In January, PTI had reported that Indian authorities had seized a Pakistan-bound ship from China. The CMA CGM Attila, was stopped at Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva Port on January 23. Officials had then told the news agency that a team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had examined the consignment, which included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, and confirmed its potential use in Pakistan’s nuclear programme.
The CNC machine falls under the Wassenaar Arrangement, which is an international arms control regime aimed at curbing the spread of items with dual civilian and military use applications. India is an active participant in the Wassenaar Arrangement.
Agency reports have stated that the CNC machine is commonly used by various nations in its nuclear programme. North Korea is believed to have used CNC machine in its nuclear programme.
Pakistan added that the seizure of the machine on board on the ship was an “unjustified seizure” and “a violation of international norms.”
“Pakistan condemns India’s high-handedness in seizure of commercial goods. This disruption of free trade underscores the dangers inherent in arbitrary assumption of policing roles by states with dubious credentials. Such acts also highlight the growing impunity of certain states in violating international norms and taking arbitrary measures in violation of international law,” the statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office further reads.
According to PTI when investigating India authorities found discrepancies in the shipping details. The agency added that this incident comes after past seizures of dual-use military items which were being sent from China to Pakistan. A probe is underway in India to determine who may be receiving these items in items and whether they are linked to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), the organisation responsible for Pakistan’s defence research and development.
