‘Arms sale to Ukraine’ story fabricated: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday rejected as ‘baseless’ and ‘fabricated’ the latest story by Intercept in which it was alleged that Pakistan had sold weapons to Ukraine to get the recent IMF bailout package.

“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”, said the Spokeswoman at the Foreign Office when asked to comment on the Intercept story.

Pakistan, she pointed out, maintained 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 end user requirements,” she emphasised.