According to a report published on Tuesday by BBC Urdu, Pakistan allegedly entered into a $364 million arms sales agreement with two private US companies last year, with the weapons being sent to Ukraine for its conflict with Russia. However, the Foreign Office has denied these claims, asserting that Pakistan remains neutral in the dispute between the two countries and did not provide any arms or ammunition in that context.
These alleged developments reportedly took place during the rule of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and the tenure of former Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. The report also highlighted that during the time these contracts were signed, the Ukraine crisis was a significant part of the political discourse in Pakistan.
The report cited details of the contracts from the American Federal Procurement Data System, alleging that the agreements were specifically linked to the purchase of 155mm shells. It also claimed that the deliveries were made in a British military cargo plane from the Nur Khan Air Base, which landed in Rawalpindi multiple times, at times coinciding with significant events and declarations.
Furthermore, the report pointed to data from the State Bank of Pakistan showing a significant increase in the country’s arms exports during the FY2022-23, as well as a document from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is a US Department of Defence funding program designed to increase Ukraine’s defence capability against Russia. The document reportedly showed contracts pertaining to the supply of 155mm shells to Ukraine in August 2022.
The report’s extensive details and evidence suggest that Pakistan’s alleged arms sales to Ukraine were significant and had a substantial impact on the ongoing conflict with Russia.