ISLAMABAD: An inquiry into the alleged arms export to Yemeni rebels by aPakistani arms firm has been closed as no evidence could be found into thematter, The News has Reported.
The inquiry which was launched on the complaint of the United States hasbeen closed on the condition that if any reliable evidence came on recordlater, the matter would be investigated again.
In March 2017 the US accused a Pakistani arms firm located in Lahore ofexporting weapons to Yemeni rebels. During his meeting with the officialsof Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, a US Embassy official on anon-paper (unsigned paper) had communicated the Pakistani officials that asper their information, a Pakistan firm was seeking to import over athousand AK-105 (5.45X39mm) assault rifles from Russian firm ‘KalashnikovConcerns’ and The Tula Cartridge in October 2016 .
He claimed that those arms and ammunition were meant for export to Djiboutifor further smuggling to Yemen and the company was acting as arepresentative for a Yemeni-based smuggler as the firm has been associatedwith him in the past.
“We oppose such transfers, as we believe they will only serve to furtherdestabilise the region and contribute to ongoing regional violence,” theofficial had observed. The US official warned the Pakistani side thatshipping those weapons and ammunition to designated entities in Yemen wouldviolate United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) whichimposes an arms embargo on Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, twomilitary commanders, former president Saleh and his son and those acting ontheir behalf or at their direction in Yemen.
“The US Department of the Treasury’s office of Foreign Assets Control onJuly 16, 2014 designated under executive order 13661 the KalashnikovConcerns for operating in the arms or related material sector in theRussian Federation,” he further pointed out.
The US official further made it clear that by procuring weapons fromKalashnikov Concerns, Pakistani entities made themselves potentiallysubject to sanctions for material support to an entity sanctioned under theExecutive Order 13661.