Pak forces claim seizing US, NATO military equipment

Karachi, Dec 30: Pakistani security forces claimed that they had seized and confiscated sensitive military equipment in around 250 containers belonging to the US and NATO forces. Television channels reported that the military equipment was seized on security grounds by the para military Pakistan Rangers.

According to the Ranger officials, the equipment will remain under their control until further orders are received from the government.

"The military equipment was found in around 250 containers which have now been parked in a yard at Port Qasim," a security official said. The seizure comes at a time when the United States has announced it was planning to withdraw all its military hardware and arms out of Pakistan after the Pakistan government closed its Afghan border for supplies carried out through containers and oil tankers to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

'Express News' channel quoted security sources as saying that the ban on supplies to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan had prompted the US government to weight various options to move around the cargo stranded at various locations in Pakistan.

According to these sources, US cargo, stranded in Pakistan, is worth millions of dollars and US authorities have serious concerns over the safety of the cargo as it includes hammer vehicles, dumpers, anti-aircraft guns, special carriers of anti-aircraft guns, vehicles specially built to jam communications, cranes and sophisticated weapons.

PTI