Islamabad
Pakistan has rejected a report claiming that it entered into a secret arms deal with Ukraine in order to secure the IMF bailout programme, and termed it as baseless and fabricated.
A statement issued by the Pakistan Foreign office said the country stands by its policy of strict neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine dispute.
The IMF Standby Arrangement for Pakistan was successfully negotiated between Pakistan and the IMF to implement difficult but essential economic reforms. Giving any other colour to these negotiations is disingenuous, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said.
Pakistan maintains a policy of strict neutrality in the dispute between Ukraine and Russia and in that context, does not provide any arms and ammunition to them. Pakistan’s defence exports are always accompanied with strict and user requirements, she added.
The report by US-based online publication ‘Intercept’ claimed that Pakistan supplied weapons to Ukraine through the US in return to approval and dispersal of the $3bn IMF Standby Arrangement for a period of nine months.
Intercept claims were banked on its sources with knowledge of the arrangement and leaks secret documents signed by both Pakistan and the US. These arms sales were intended to supply the Ukrainian military, hence, forcing Pakistan to take a side in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Intercept report claimed.
Pakistan secured the standby agreement with the IMF during July 2023, which came as a much-needed bailout for the country and avoid economic meltdown. Reports about arm sale to Ukraine had surfaced before July, 2023. However, Pakistan and Ukraine both had rejected them back then as well.
