Karachi: Pakistani security forces on Saturday
claimed that they had seized and confiscated sensitive
military equipment in around 250 containers belonging to the
US and Nato forces.
Television channels reported that the military equipment
was seized on security grounds by the para military Pakistan
Rangers.
According to the Ranger officials, the equipment will
remain under their control until further orders are received
from the government.
"The military equipment was found in around 250
containers which have now been parked in a yard at Port
Qasim," a security official said.
The seizure comes at a time when the United States has
announced it was planning to withdraw all its military
hardware and arms out of Pakistan after the Pakistan
government closed its Afghan border for supplies carried out
through containers and oil tankers to US and Nato forces in
Afghanistan.
`Express News` channel quoted security sources as saying
that the ban on supplies to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan
had prompted the US government to weight various options to
move around the cargo stranded at various locations in
Pakistan.
According to these sources, US cargo, stranded in
Pakistan, is worth millions of dollars and US authorities have
serious concerns over the safety of the cargo as it includes
hammer vehicles, dumpers, anti-aircraft guns, special carriers
of anti-aircraft guns, vehicles specially built to jam
communications, cranes and sophisticated weapons.
Relations between the Pakistan and US governments and
military leaders have been tense since the US navy seals
carried out a daring raid in Pakistan airspace and killed
al-qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad in May.
The already strained relations were further damaged when
US airstrikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in the Mohmand
tribal agency in November.
The Pakistan government and army has also rejected a US
investigation that concluded mistakes on both sides led to US
air strikes.
PTI
