Pakistan Cries Foul Over India's Seizure of 'Nuclear' Consignment, Calls It 'Commercial Equipment'

Pakistani soldiers patrol the coast ahead of the opening of the Gwadar deep-sea port on the Arabian Sea March 19, 2007. (Reuters File Photo)

The Pakistan Foreign Ministry has condemned India’s seizure of a consignment meant for the country’s “nuclear program” and denounced New Delhi’s “high-handedness” in the handling of what it described as “commercial equipment.”

This came after Indian 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, news agency PTI reported, citing government officials.

“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 Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday. “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,” it added

Acting on intelligence, Indian customs officials earlier stopped the Malta-flagged merchant ship — CMA CGM Attila — en route to Karachi on January 23. During its inspection, it was 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. After thorough examination, the consignment’s potential usage in Pakistan’s nuclear initiatives was confirmed, notably in manufacturing crucial components for missile development.

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. Further probe showed many discrepancies in the shipping details, indicating potential evasion tactics to conceal the true recipients. The agency report said this incident follows past seizures of dual-use military-grade items being transhipped from China to Pakistan, raising concerns over illicit procurement activities. The ongoing probe aims to ascertain if the suspected Pakistani entities receiving these items are linked to the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), responsible for Pakistan’s defence research and development.

The port officials, with specific intelligence, had alerted the Indian defence authorities who inspected the heavy cargo and reported their suspicions. According to government officials, the seizure falls under the prevention of possible proliferation by Pakistan and China. According to documents such as bills of loading and other details of the consignment, the consigner was mentioned as “Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd” and the consignee as “Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd” of Sialkot. However, further investigation by the security agencies indicated that the consignment, weighing 22,180 kilogrammes, was shipped by Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd and meant for Cosmos Engineering in Pakistan.

(With agency inputs)