Pak rejects India's claims of seized autoclave having military applications as 'factually incorrect'

Pakistan on Saturday rejected India's claims that the autoclave seized from a detained Pakistan-bound Chinese merchant vessel had military applications, saying that the item in question was a "heat treatment furnace casing system" with industrial applications.

"We have noted the reports about inspection and seizure by the Indian authorities of an item from a Pakistan-bound commercial vessel. In this regard, we have also been approached by the private company in Pakistan which had imported the item under question," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in a statement, terming New Delhi's claims as "factually incorrect".

"It is not listed in any international export control list. Contrary to what is being claimed, the item was correctly declared in the relevant documentation and there was no attempt to hide or conceal any information," the spokesperson said, as cited by Dawn.

New Delhi had said on Thursday that the autoclave seized from detained Chinese vessel "Da Cui Yan" had military applications and that it has asked Beijing to not engage in activities that could contribute to 'proliferation'.

"Our authorities had detained a Chinese vessel "Da Cui Yan" when it berthed in Kandla Port in early February, as it had mis-declared the item that is was carrying. Our examination has revealed that the item is an 'autoclave' that is controlled under our Dual-Use Export Control lists," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said during a weekly briefing on Thursday.

"Therefore the item has been seized by our authorities as per our legal procedure. It has also been ascertained by our examination that this item has military applications. We have conveyed our concerns on this issue to the Chinese side and have highlighted that as a friendly country the Chinese government will take appropriate measures to ensure that the Chinese entities do not engage in activities that can contribute to proliferation," he added.

ANI had reported last month that a team of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists was inspecting equipment which is presumed to be an autoclave machine used for making front section ballistic missiles.