Story about sale of Pakistani weapons to Ukraine baseless: FO

IMF Standby Arrangement was negotiated between Pakistan and IMF to implement difficult but essential economic reforms, says spokesperson.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected as baseless a story published in a US publication that claimed Pakistan sold weapons to Ukraine to get IMF bailout package. 

Responding to media queries on the latest Intercept story Foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch rejected the story as baseless and fabricated. She said: “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.”

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, she added. Ms Baloch also said Pakistan’s defense exports are always accompanied with strict end user requirements.
the Intercept alleged that through secret Pakistani arms sales the U.S. helped to facilitate a controversial bailout from the International Monetary Fund earlier this year. The arms sales were made for the purpose of supplying the Ukrainian military — marking Pakistani involvement in a conflict it had faced U.S. pressure to take sides on.

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