'Unjustified seizure': Pakistan in denial mode again, says consignment from China meant for commercial use

In response to the interception and seizure of a consignment at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port destined for Karachi, Pakistan's government on Saturday strongly denounced the move, accusing India of high-handedness and emphasizing the misrepresentation of facts by Indian media outlets. Earlier today, Indian security agencies at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port intercepted and confiscated a consignment from a ship bound for Karachi from China. The consignment was discovered to contain dual-use items with implications for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, according to officials.

Dismissing these claims, a spokesperson for the Pakistani government said the intercepted consignment contained a commercial lathe machine imported by a Karachi-based entity specializing in supplying parts to the automobile industry in Pakistan. The spokesperson went on to highlight that the transaction was conducted transparently through proper banking channels, with all relevant documents in place. 

Also read: Karachi-bound vessel, halted at port near Mumbai, had equipment for nuclear, missile projects

Pakistan strongly condemned what it perceives as India's unwarranted interference in commercial affairs, labeling it a disruption of free trade and underscoring the risks associated with arbitrary assumptions of policing roles by states with questionable credentials.

"These reports are reflective of Indian media's habitual misrepresentation of facts. 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 document," the statement read.

"The relevant private entities are pursuing the matter against this unjustified seizure. 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," Pakistan's statement added.

"Such acts also highlight the growing impunity of certain states in violating international norms and taking arbitrary measures in violation of international law," it concluded.

The seized consignment, initially reported as a routine commercial shipment, took a turn when Indian customs officials, acting on intelligence, halted the Malta-flagged merchant ship CMA CGM Attila en route to Karachi. The subsequent inspection revealed a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, manufactured by an Italian company, which Indian authorities claim has potential usage in Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

According to officials, a team from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) examined the consignment and verified its potential utility in Pakistan's nuclear endeavors, particularly in the manufacture of critical components for missile development.

CNC machines, like the one intercepted, are subject to the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control regime aimed at restricting the proliferation of items with dual civilian and military applications. India actively participates in this arrangement. Notably, North Korea has utilized CNC machines in its nuclear program.

Further scrutiny revealed numerous discrepancies in the shipping details, suggesting possible attempts to obscure the true recipients of the consignment. This incident is part of a pattern involving the interception of dual-use military-grade items destined for Pakistan from China. Such occurrences raise concerns about illicit procurement activities.

The ongoing investigation seeks to determine whether the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these items have ties to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for Pakistan's defense research and development.

Port officials, acting on specific intelligence, alerted Indian defense authorities, who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions. Subsequently, the consignment was seized under the prevention of potential proliferation by Pakistan and China.

According to shipping documents, the consigner was identified as "Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd," while the consignee was listed as "Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd" of Sialkot. However, further inquiry by security agencies revealed that the 22,180-kilogram consignment was dispatched by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and intended for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan.

Also read: India halts Pakistan-bound ship from China with alleged 'military-grade items'

This is not the first instance of Indian port officials seizing dual-use military-grade items being shipped from China to Pakistan.

Cosmos Engineering, a Pakistani defense supplier, has been under scrutiny since March 12, 2022, when Indian authorities intercepted a shipment of Italian-made thermoelectric instruments at the Nhava Sheva port.

Despite international conventions, this interception underscores the persistent collaboration between Pakistan and China in activities that violate global agreements, raising concerns about potential proliferation activities.

In February 2020, China was discovered to be supplying autoclaves to Pakistan under the guise of an "industrial dryer."

The autoclave was seized from a Chinese ship, the Dai Cui Yun, flying a Hong Kong flag. The vessel had departed from Jiangyin port on the Yangtze River in Jiangsu province, China, en route to Pakistan's Port Qasim.

The interception of the autoclave, suspected to be intended for Pakistan's missile program, heightened concerns regarding Pakistan's alleged involvement in illicit missile trade and potential violations of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).

The collaboration between China and Pakistan in acquiring sensitive items and equipment, along with China's assistance in constructing nuclear power plants for Pakistan, has come under scrutiny from international bodies. This collaboration challenges established guidelines and control regimes.

Officials indicated that China's assistance to Pakistan manifests in two ways: clandestine supply of sensitive materials or equipment with proliferation concerns, and serving as a conduit to facilitate Pakistan's procurement of dual-use military-grade items from overseas, particularly Europe and the US.

Furthermore, China has provided assistance to Pakistan in the construction of civil nuclear power plants. Notably, China has built four 300 MWe nuclear power plants in Chashma and two 1,000 MWe plants in Karachi, contravening Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines. Chinese authorities have announced plans to construct an additional 1,000 MWe nuclear power plant in Chashma.

Recent sanctions imposed by the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on Chinese companies engaged in supplying missile-relevant items to Pakistan underscore the seriousness of the situation and emphasize the need for enhanced oversight to curb potential proliferation activities.