Pakistani man imprisoned in US for trying to illegally export military equipment

A Pakistani man has been sentenced to 33 months of imprisonment in the United States for attempting to export military equipment for the Pakistani military without a licence.

Identified as Syed Vaqar Ashraf, he had previously pleaded guilty for trying to procure gyroscopes and illegally shipped them to Pakistan so they could be used by the Pakistani military, said the US Justice Department on Thursday.

However, the claim that the equipment was meant for Pakistan military could not be confirmed.

According to the US Justice Department, Ashraf had purchased the equipment in the name of a shell company and sent the shipment to Belgium.

He was apprehended by the Belgium Federal Police at the request of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents on August 26, 2014.

Ashraf was in Belgium to inspect and forward the gyroscopes to Pakistan.

The HSI had been conducting an undercover investigation of Ashraf's activities and the case was further investigated by Belgium Federal Police.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin and US Attorney John S. Leonardo of the District of Arizona announced the sentence.