Pakistan Slams ‘False and Baseless’ Report of Arms Sale to Ukraine

Islamabad, Sept 19, 2023:

Pakistan on Monday trashed a report by the US-based news outlet The Intercept, which claimed that Pakistan had sold weapons to Ukraine in exchange for a bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Intercept report, which was published on Sunday, claimed that Pakistan had sold Ukraine 10,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition in April 2023. The report also claimed that the sale was approved by the Pakistani government in exchange for the IMF bailout package.

The Pakistani government has strongly denied the allegations in the Intercept report. Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said in a statement on Monday that the report was “completely false and baseless.”

“Pakistan has not sold any weapons to Ukraine,” Iftikhar said. “We are committed to a policy of neutrality and non-interference in the Ukraine conflict.“

Iftikhar also said that the IMF bailout package was not conditional on Pakistan selling weapons to Ukraine. He said that the IMF had not imposed any such conditions on Pakistan.

The Intercept report has been met with skepticism by many observers. Some experts have pointed out that the report is based on a single anonymous source, and that there is no independent evidence to corroborate the claims.

The report has also been criticized by some Pakistani politicians. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet on Monday that the report was a “smear campaign” against Pakistan.

The Intercept report comes at a time when Pakistan is facing a number of economic challenges. The country is currently in the midst of a financial crisis, and is seeking a bailout package from the IMF.

The report could also damage Pakistan’s relations with Russia, which is a close ally of Pakistan. Russia has warned Pakistan against selling weapons to Ukraine, and has threatened to retaliate if Pakistan does so.

Conclusion:

The Pakistani government has strongly denied the allegations in The Intercept report, and the report has been met with skepticism by many observers. It is important to note that the report is based on a single anonymous source, and that there is no independent evidence to corroborate the claims.