Pakistan says seizure of commercial goods by India 'unjustified'
economictimes.indiatimes.comPakistan on Sunday protested India's «unjustified seizure» of commercial goods destined for Karachi, saying the consignment was a «simple case» of import of a commercial lathe machine by a commercial entity which supplies parts to the automobile industry in this country. The comments by the Foreign Office came after security agencies at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port intercepted and seized the consignment of a Karachi-bound ship from China after it was found carrying a dual-use consignment with implications for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Customs officials, acting on intelligence, halted the Malta-flagged merchant ship — CMA CGM Attila — en route to Karachi on January 23 and, during its inspection, found that the consignment had a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, manufactured by an Italian company, known for its precision and efficiency controlled by a computer system.
CNC machines fall under the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control regime aimed at curbing the spread of items with dual civilian and military applications, in which India is an active participant. The CNC machine was used by North Korea in its nuclear programme.
In response to media questions regarding the seizure of commercial equipment destined for Pakistan, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said that these reports are reflective of Indian media's «misrepresentation of facts».
«This is a simple case of import of a commercial lathe machine by a
