ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has strongly turned down reports claiming that the country sold arms to Ukraine in exchange for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal brokered by the United States.
Islamabad responded to the report shared by The Intercept that accused the South Asian nation of yielding to Washington’s pressure to covertly support Kyiv in the ongoing war against Moscow in exchange for a guarantee that the US would get the IMF to approve bailout funds.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to the buzz and called the report baseless and fabricated report. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch turned down the story as baseless and fabricated.
Baloch said the IMF Standby Arrangement was successfully negotiated between Islamabad and US-based lenders to implement difficult but essential economic reforms. It said giving any other colour to these negotiations is disingenuous.
FO spox said Pakistan maintains a policy of strict neutrality in the dispute between Russia and Ukraine and in that context, does not provide any arms and ammunition to them.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba dismissed reports suggesting supplying arms to Kyiv amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
The development comes months after year, IMF gave $1.2 billion to Pakistan, helping the South Asian country to avert default.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/18-Sep-2023/did-pakistan-really-sell-arms-to-us-for-ukraine-war
