ISLAMABAD: Spokesperson of Foreign Office, Aisha Farooqui on Saturday rejected claims made by Indian authorities regarding an item seized from a detained Pakistan-bound Chinese merchant vessel.

According to the details, she said that claims regarding the possible military dimension of the item in question were “factually incorrect”.

“The item under question is a heat treatment furnace casing system which has several industrial applications. 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,” FO

The presser of Foreign Office also said, “Claims regarding the possible military dimension of the held item are factually incorrect. Similar furnaces are being used in several industries in Pakistan and the world over.”

We have noted the reports about inspection and seizure by the Indian authorities of an item from a Pakistan bound commercial vessel by the Indian authorities. In this regard, we have also been approached by the private company in Pakistan which had imported the item under question, FO

Ayesha Farooqui said, “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.”

“Similar furnaces are being used in several industries in Pakistan and the world over,” she added.

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao said, “The Pakistan-bound merchant vessel from China was detained by India, but the autoclave on the ship that India claimed to be material for ballistic missiles is neither military supplies nor dual-use items under non-proliferation and export control.”

Earlier, China has rejected Indian media reports about any shift in China’s position and said that the Chinese side had always backed Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said during his online briefing “China’s position on the relevant issue remains unchanged.”

Chinese official said Pakistan had made enormous efforts in improving its counter-terror financing system, which had been recognized by the vast majority of FATF members at its latest plenary meeting concluded on February 20 in Paris.