Pakistan has become the new channel for the supply of weapons to conflict zones across the world, including Ukraine and Armenia, according to Italian geopolitical expert Sergio Restelli.
Though Pakistan facilitated the supply of weapons to two war hotspots, its motives are yet to be determined. The Italian advisor argued that Pakistan has been clandestinely helping the United Kingdom to ferry weapons systems to Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.
“Pakistan has become the new channel for the supply of weapons to conflict zones across the world. …The question is who is behind these supplies and why is Pakistan providing overflight and landing facilities for such deliveries? The answer remains a mystery,” Restelli asks in an opinion piece in The Times of Israel.
“Various flight-tracking websites have shown the UK’s Royal Air Force carrying out regular sorties of C-17 Globemaster heavy lift aircraft from Romania to Pakistan Air Force’s Nur Khan airbase in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, since 6 August 2022, five days before Pakistan Army chief, General Javed Bajwa, landed in the UK,” he writes.
Restelli contends that there is no clarity on the kind of weapons or ammunition ferried from Pakistan to Romania. However, the possibility of Pakistan sending ammunition made at the Pakistan Ordinance Factory to Ukraine via Romania cannot be discounted.
Earlier in August, media reports had suggested that Pakistani channels were providing ammunition to military groups in conflict ravaged Ukraine.
Ukrainian artillerymen were spotted using 122mm HE artillery projectiles made in Pakistani Ordnance Factories (POF).
“Ukraine: The massive needs of the Ukrainian Army when it comes to artillery are being met from some unorthodox sources – Ukrainian artillerymen were spotted using 122mm HE artillery projectiles made by Pakistani Ordnance Factories (POF),” Ukraine Weapons Tracker tweeted in August.
This tracker, which posted a thread of tweets, claims to debunk, and track the usage of defence material in Ukraine. Though not verified, this handle is being followed by several eminent defence experts.
The tracker further claimed that these projectiles were manufactured only a few months ago. “These projectiles were manufactured only a few months ago – highly likely explicitly for export to Ukraine going by factors we won’t detail here. Yet another demonstration of just how Western partners obtain the most needed material for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
The report of weapons supplies to Ukraine comes even as Pakistan has in recent past tried to cosy up to Russia.