Russia-Ukraine conflict: Defence exports always accompanied by ‘strict end-user requirements’: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office reiterated on Friday about Pakistan’s policy of “strict neutrality” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and maintained that the country’s defence exports are always accompanied by “strict end-user requirements” and hoped that the recipients of the defence equipment will fully respect these requirements.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated this while responding to media queries during her weekly press briefing with regard to Pakistan’s reported supply of ammunition to Ukraine.

“I would reiterate what we have said in the past from this podium. Pakistan maintains a policy of strict neutrality in the dispute between Ukraine and Russia and in that context, does not provide any ammunition to them,” she said.

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“However, we must realise that in the past, Pakistan has had strong defence ties with Ukraine. We have also said and I reiterate again, that Pakistan’s defence exports are always accompanied by strict end-user requirements and we hope those end-user requirements would be fully respected by recipients,” she added.

Commenting on the recent remarks made by Indian external affairs minister Jaishankar and the RAW chief accusing Pakistan of the recent attack on its troops in occupied Kashmir, she said that Pakistan itself is a victim of terrorism and suffered as a result of terrorism for the last several decades.

“In this context, we have presented to the international community undeniable evidence of Indian involvement in terrorist incidents inside Pakistani territory…We reject any insinuations that link Pakistan to terrorist incidents anywhere, including by Indian authorities, as these comments are unwarranted and have no basis,” she added.

She said that Indian spy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav was the mastermind of espionage and terrorist activities inside Pakistan. “His activities are a testimony of India’s irrefutable involvement in terrorism inside Pakistan,” she added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023