ISLAMABAD: The United States Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), which works under the Department of Commerce, has placed sanctions on seven Pakistani firms purportedly engaged in nuclear trade and likely to damage Pakistan’s endeavor to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
“Indeed, it obstructs Pakistan’s bid for a full membership of NSG,” said Associate Professor Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, who is highly regarded for his academic work on nuclear issues.
He told Arab News that “sanctioning seven (Pakistani) companies is another attempt to pressurize Pakistan because Islamabad is determined not to accept the unrealistic dictates of the Trump Administration."
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman could not be reached for comment by Arab News on Monday.
Twenty-three sanctioned companies from Pakistan, Singapore and South Sudan were placed on the US “Entity List” on March 22 according to the BIS document published on the US Federal Register website which “identifies entities reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.”
Of the seven Pakistan firms based in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad banned by the US, an eighth is operated by Pakistanis from Singapore.
Mushko Electronics Pvt. Ltd. in Singapore and Mushko Electronics Pvt. Ltd. in Pakistan are accused of procuring material for several sanctioned “Pakistani entities.” Solutions Engineering has been listed over “involvement in activity contrary” to US interests while Akhtar & Munir, Proficient Engineers and Pervaiz Commercial Trading Co. (PCTC) have been listed for “their involvement in the proliferation of unsafeguarded nuclear activities.”
Marine Systems Pvt. Ltd. is suspected of circumventing the export administration regulations restrictions assisting sanctioned Pakistani entities to acquire “items.” The last firm, Engineering and Commercial Services (ECS), has allegedly supplied material to a Pakistani nuclear entity.
Reuters reported that none of the seven sanctioned Pakistani companies, which are not well known, could be immediately reached for comment. Nor could a Singapore-based company which the bureau said was linked to one of the Pakistani companies.
Arab News visited the office of ECS in a commercial building in Islamabad. The small office, which mostly remains closed and is manned by one person, works under the banner of “Galaxy Corporation” which is handwritten on a notebook paper attached to the door.
Neighboring offices involved in construction and trade were not aware of the name or the nature of ECS’ business.
“This is Engineering and Commercial Services,” said the company’s representative who identified himself as Arslan. He was surprised that Arab News was able to find the office.
Extremely reluctant to share information, Arslan confirmed that ECS procures “chemicals and related material” and deals “globally.” He refused to provide the owner’s name or contact but he told Arab News that the company’s main office is elsewhere.
The latest action by Washington is likely to further strain relations with Islamabad.
The two nations — once strong allies — have drifted apart over conflict of interests and widening trust deficit. Both sides have made attempts to repair relations but mixed signals from within each country’s government hierarchy have placed progress on a number of issues on shaky ground.
In February, the US, backed by Britain, France and Germany, emphasized concerns about the depth of Islamabad’s commitment to tackle money laundering and terror financing and tried to convince the Financial Action Task Force to place Pakistan back on its “gray list.”
Islamabad calls FATF’s attempt “politically motivated”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General Yukia Amano, who visited some of Pakistan’s nuclear plants and health facilities in March, commended the country’s command, control, knowledge, and safety of nuclear technology.
His concluding remark was: “The NSG would be better off with Pakistan inside rather than outside.”
The NSG was founded in 1974 to prevent nuclear proliferation through stringent checks and balances over the material export, technology and equipment used for nuclear weapons manufacturing.
Pakistan, backed by Turkey and China, applied for NSG’s membership on May 19, 2016, and maintains that non-discriminatory criteria-based approach is needed for all non-NPT countries for inclusion in the group.
The move is backed by several nations, including Kazakhstan and Belarus, and Russia has signaled its support.
7 Pakistani companies placed on US sanctions list
7 Pakistani companies placed on US sanctions list
Pakistan locks down capital ahead of a planned rally by Imran Khan supporters
- Interior Ministry is considering a suspension of mobile phone services in parts of Pakistan in the coming days
- Pakistan has banned gatherings of five or more people in Islamabad for two months to deter Khan’s supporters
It’s the second time in as many months that authorities have imposed such measures to thwart tens of thousands of people from gathering in the city to demand Khan’s release.
The latest lockdown coincides with the visit of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who arrives in Islamabad on Monday.
Local media reported that the Interior Ministry is considering a suspension of mobile phone services in parts of Pakistan in the coming days. On Friday, the National Highways and Motorway Police announced that key routes would close for maintenance.
It advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and said the decision was taken following intelligence reports that “angry protesters” are planning to create a law and order situation and damage public and private property on Sunday, the day of the planned rally.
“There are reports that protesters are coming with sticks and slingshots,” the statement added.
Multicolored shipping containers, a familiar sight to people living and working in Islamabad, reappeared on key roads Saturday to throttle traffic.
Pakistan has already banned gatherings of five or more people in Islamabad for two months to deter Khan’s supporters and activists from his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI.
Khan has been in prison for more than a year in connection and has over 150 criminal cases against him. But he remains popular and the PTI says the cases are politically motivated.
A three-day shutdown was imposed in Islamabad for a security summit last month.
Indian man awakes on funeral pyre
- Doctors sent Rohitash Kumar, 25, to mortuary instead of conducting postmortem after he fell ill
- Kumar was rushed to hospital on Friday for treatment but was confirmed dead later
JAIPUR: An Indian man awoke on a funeral pyre moments before it was to be set on fire after a doctor skipped a postmortem, medical officials said Saturday.
Rohitash Kumar, 25, who had speaking and hearing difficulties, had fallen sick and was taken to a hospital in Jhunjhunu in the western state of Rajasthan on Thursday.
Indian media reported he had had an epileptic seizure, and a doctor declared him dead on arrival at the hospital.
But instead of the required postmortem to ascertain the cause of death, doctors sent him to the mortuary, and then to be burned according to Hindu rites.
D. Singh, chief medical officer of the hospital, told AFP that a doctor had “prepared the postmortem report without actually doing the postmortem, and the body was then sent for cremation.”
Singh said that “shortly before the pyre was to be lit, Rohitash’s body started movements,” adding that “he was alive and was breathing.”
Kumar was rushed to hospital for a second time, but was confirmed dead on Friday during treatment.
Authorities have suspended the services of three doctors and the police have launched an investigation.
NATO chief discusses ‘global security’ with Trump
- NATO allies say keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security
Brussels: NATO chief Mark Rutte held talks with US President-elect Donald Trump in Florida on the “global security issues facing the alliance,” a spokeswoman said Saturday.
The meeting took place on Friday in Palm Beach, NATO’s Farah Dakhlallah said in a statement.
In his first term Trump aggressively pushed Europe to step up defense spending and questioned the fairness of the NATO transatlantic alliance.
The former Dutch prime minister had said he wanted to meet Trump two days after Trump was elected on November 5, and discuss the threat of increasingly warming ties between North Korea and Russia.
Trump’s thumping victory to return to the US presidency has set nerves jangling in Europe that he could pull the plug on vital Washington military aid for Ukraine.
NATO allies say keeping Kyiv in the fight against Moscow is key to both European and American security.
“What we see more and more is that North Korea, Iran, China and of course Russia are working together, working together against Ukraine,” Rutte said recently at a European leaders’ meeting in Budapest.
“At the same time, Russia has to pay for this, and one of the things they are doing is delivering technology to North Korea,” which he warned was threatening to the “mainland of the US (and) continental Europe.”
“I look forward to sitting down with Donald Trump to discuss how we can face these threats collectively,” Rutte said.
Indian man awakes on funeral pyre
JAIPUR, India: An Indian man awoke on a funeral pyre moments before it was to be set on fire after a doctor skipped a postmortem, medical officials said Saturday.
Rohitash Kumar, 25, who had speaking and hearing difficulties, had fallen sick and was taken to a hospital in Jhunjhunu in the western state of Rajasthan on Thursday.
Indian media reported he had had an epileptic seizure, and a doctor declared him dead on arrival at the hospital.
But instead of the required postmortem to ascertain the cause of death, doctors sent him to the mortuary, and then to be burned according to Hindu rites.
D. Singh, chief medical officer of the hospital, told AFP that a doctor had “prepared the postmortem report without actually doing the postmortem, and the body was then sent for cremation.”
Singh said that “shortly before the pyre was to be lit, Rohitash’s body started movements,” adding that “he was alive and was breathing.”
Kumar was rushed to hospital for a second time, but was confirmed dead on Friday during treatment.
Authorities have suspended the services of three doctors and the police have launched an investigation.
Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 33 people
- Senior police officer said Saturday armed men torched shops, houses and government property overnight
- Although the two groups generally live together peacefully, tensions remain, especially in Kurram
PESHAWAR: Fighting between armed Sunni and Shiite groups in northwestern Pakistan killed at least 33 people and injured 25 others, a senior police officer from the region said Saturday.
The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and comes days after a deadly gun ambush killed 42 people.
Shiite Muslims make up about 15 percent of the 240 million people in Sunni-majority Pakistan, which has a history of sectarian animosity between the communities.
Although the two groups generally live together peacefully, tensions remain, especially in Kurram.
The senior police officer said armed men in Bagan and Bacha Kot torched shops, houses and government property.
Intense gunfire was ongoing between the Alizai and Bagan tribes in the Lower Kurram area.
“Educational institutions in Kurram are closed due to the severe tension. Both sides are targeting each other with heavy and automatic weapons,” said the officer, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Videos shared with The Associated Press showed a market engulfed by fire and orange flames piercing the night sky. Gunfire can also be heard.
The location of Thursday’s attack was also targeted by armed men, who marched on the area.
Survivors of the gun ambush said assailants emerged from a vehicle and sprayed buses and cars with bullets. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack and police have not identified a motive.
Dozens of people from the district’s Sunni and Shiite communities have been killed since July, when a land dispute erupted in Kurram that later turned into general sectarian violence.