Pakistan lodged a formal protest on Sunday against India's seizure of commercial goods en route to Karachi, asserting that the consignment involved a straightforward import of a commercial lathe machine by a business entity supplying parts to the local automobile industry.
The objection from Pakistan's Foreign Office follows the interception and confiscation of the consignment aboard a Karachi-bound ship from China at Mumbai's Nhava Sheva port by Indian security agencies. The interception was prompted by suspicions of a dual-use consignment with potential implications for Pakistan's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Acting on intelligence, customs officials halted the Malta-flagged merchant vessel, CMA CGM Attila, on January 23 during its journey to Karachi. Upon inspection, they discovered a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine, produced by an Italian company renowned for its precision and computer-controlled efficiency.
CNC machines are governed by the Wassenaar Arrangement, an international arms control framework aimed at restricting the proliferation of items with both civilian and military applications, in which India actively participates. Notably, North Korea utilized a CNC machine in its nuclear endeavors.
In response to media inquiries regarding the seizure of commercial equipment destined for Pakistan, a spokesperson from the Foreign Office dismissed Indian media reports as misrepresentation, emphasizing that the consignment comprised a commercial lathe machine intended for a Karachi-based entity supplying automobile parts.
The spokesperson underscored that the equipment's specifications clearly denote its purely commercial usage and that the transaction was conducted through transparent banking channels with comprehensive documentation.
Condemning India's actions as an overreach, Pakistan denounced the disruption of free trade and cautioned against states with questionable credentials assuming policing roles. Such unilateral measures, Pakistan contends, contravene international norms and underscore certain states' growing impunity in flouting international law.
Private entities involved are pursuing recourse against what Pakistan deems an unjustified seizure, the spokesperson confirmed.
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