Pakistani authorities have dismissed Indian claims that an item seized by Indian officials from a Chinese commercial ship en route to Pakistan is of “possible military dimension.”
The Pakistani Foreign Office (FO) in its statement described the Indian claims as “factually incorrect”. Based on the FO's information, the item seized by Indian officials is a heat treatment furnace casing system for use in industry.
Chinese vessel Da Cui Yun had been seized at the Kandla Port in Gujarat, India, while it was on its way to Port Qasim in Karachi, Pakistan. Indian authorities had suggested that this item could be used in the “manufacture of a very long-range ballistic missile or satellite launch rocket” - a claim that has since been called into question by Pakistani and Chinese authorities.
Pakistan's FO went on to state:
“We have also been approached by the private company in Pakistan which had imported the item under question.”
Chinese authorities have also rejected Indian claims that this item has any military purpose. Foreign Minister spokesperson Zhao Lijian stated the following:
“After seeking the information, we know that this item is actually a heat treatment furnace shell system produced by a Chinese company in China. This is not for military use and it is not a dual-use item under non-proliferation and export control.”