By Vaqas Asghar
The US Department of Commerce (DoC) has added seven Pakistani companies to a list of foreign entities that are subject to stringent export control measures.
The Pakistani companies are among 23 additions to the Entity List of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) which is managed by the DoC’s Bureau of Industry and Security.
The other companies added to the list include a Singaporean affiliate of a Pakistani company, and 15 entities from troubled South Sudan. The additions were published in the Federal Register on Thursday. The list identifies entities “reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States”.
Three of the companies were listed for “their involvement in the proliferation of unsafeguarded nuclear activities that are contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.”
Two were found procuring supplies for nuclear-related entities already on the list, and two others are suspected to be fronts for already-listed entities.
Some media reports suggest that additions could affect Pakistan’s chances of joining the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
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Although China and Turkey have cited procedural issues in adding new members to the NSG, both have underlined the right of Pakistan to aspire to become a member of the club, which works on the principle of consensus to accept new members. Earlier, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Yukiya Amano said he was highly impressed by the standards Pakistan is maintaining at the various civilian nuclear facilities and installations that he recently visited in Pakistan. Amano, while addressing a seminar in Karachi, told the audience, “Your country [Pakistan] is an experienced user of peaceful nuclear technology.”
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The IAEA chief, while summing up the visits he made during his three-day trip, said, “Everywhere [I went] it was clear you [Pakistan] have the knowledge and the pool of people who are dedicated to do this job.” While speaking about his visit to the under-construction facilities, the IAEA chief remarked, “You [Pakistan] are taking a lot of care for the safety and security of the plants.” Nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India have both shown interest in being added to the NSG, but both are not signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is a hurdle as all other members of the export control regimes are part of the NPT. Inclusion in the Entity List is considered the ‘highest level of red-flag’ that there is the US export control regime aimed at preventing misuse or repurposing of American dual-use technology (equipment or technology that can be used for both civilian and non-civilian purposes) for undeclared use, mostly military.
Entities on this list – businesses, research institutions, government and private organisations, individuals – are required to seek a licence from the US government to purchase items subjected to EAR, which, it is generally presumed, will be denied to them.
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Companies listed The Pakistani companies on the list include Akhtar & Munir, which has an office on Adamjee Road in Lahore; Proficient Engineers, which has an office in New Garden Town in Lahore; Pervaiz Commercial Trading Co, with an office in Lahore’s Model Town area. Another company on the list is Engineering and Commercial Services, with an office in F-10 Markaz, Islamabad; and Marine Systems Pvt Ltd, with an office in Blue Area, Islamabad.
The last two companies have multiple addresses. Mushko Electronics Pvt Ltd has two offices on Abdullah Haroon Road, one on Main Boulevard in Gullberg-III, Lahore, and two separate offices in Blue Area, Islamabad. It also has a Singapore-based affiliate named Mushko Logistics Pte Ltd with four addresses listed, two at Pemimpin Drive one on Pandan Road, and one on Lakeside Drive.
The last company, Solutions Engineering Pvt Ltd, has been identified as having two aliases – Solutronix Engineering Pvt Ltd, and Solutronix Pvt Ltd. Its listed address include Lahore’s DHA Phase 8, PAF Colony, Begum Salma Tassadaq Road, on The Mall, at Gohawa Dakkhana, Bhatta Kohaar, Lahore, and Sehajpal Village, along with other offices in Islamabad’s F-10 Markaz and at The Mall in Rawalpindi.
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