Official claims big rise in arms exports: Dawn

By Ihtasham ul Haque


ISLAMABAD, July 17: Pakistan's defence exports have tripled to around $300 million because of the quality of its ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

"Our defence exports have been rising substantially because the arms and ammunition we manufacture meet international standards," Maj-Gen Mohammad Farooq, Director General of the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (Depo), told Dawn.

"We even won a contract in the face of tough competition from developed countries to manufacture parts of Boeing aircraft," he said.

Although he wasn't precise about earnings from arms exports, he said: "It has tripled and it is very good for Pakistan."

He said arms trade was a complex business and it had to be on a government-to-government basis. Pakistan was answerable to the international community in terms of ensuring that the arms did not fall into wrong hands.

He said exports to South Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries had increased significantly.

He said there was a time when the country's defence industry exported only small arms and ammunition, but now their range had diversified and developed countries were also purchasing Pakistan's military hardware.

He said optical instruments like night vision devices, laser range-finders and designators, laser threat censors, artillery armour mortars and ammunition, mine detectors, anti-tank rifles, missile boats, different types of tear gases, fuses of unarmed vehicles, security equipment and sporting and hunting guns were also being manufactured in Pakistan.

"The fuses are being purchased by countries like Italy, France and Spain," he said.

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