SOURCE: AFI
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) asserts possession of documents that purportedly reveal arms sales from Pakistan to Ukraine, a claim consistently denied by Pakistan. According to a report by BBC Urdu, former Pakistani army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa participated in the passing-out parade at the British Royal Military Academy on August 12, 2022. The report alleges that during the event, a British military cargo plane landed at PAF Base Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, with future landings scheduled.
The BBC report suggests that on each occasion, the plane flew from Nur Khan Airbase to the British military base in Cyprus, Akrotiri, and then to Romania. Notably, this occurred during Russia’s military actions in Ukraine’s neighboring country, Romania.
Despite Pakistan’s consistent denial of the presence of Pakistani weapons in Ukraine, the BBC claims to possess documents indicating arms sales contracts worth $364 million in August 2022 between Pakistan and two private US military companies. According to the report, the companies ‘Global Military’ and ‘Northrop Grumman’ signed contracts for the purchase of 155mm shells from Pakistan.
The details of these contracts were reportedly obtained from the Federal Procurement Data System of the United States, revealing that both agreements were signed on August 17, 2022, with an expiration date in October of the same year. The contracts specifically pertained to 155mm shells, with Global Military receiving a $232 million contract and Northrop Grumman a $131 million contract.
The BBC’s claims raise questions about Pakistan’s purported involvement in arms sales to Ukraine, a matter of significant geopolitical importance amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has consistently maintained its neutrality in the conflict, emphasizing the country’s commitment to a neutral stance.
As the allegations circulate, it remains to be seen how both Pakistan and the international community respond to the BBC’s claims, with potential implications for diplomatic relations and global perceptions of Pakistan’s role in the arms trade amid the ongoing crisis in Eastern Europe.