By Mrityunjoy Jha and Atul Aneja

A new clandestine network engaged in developing Pakistani atomic weapons has surfaced, involving the Pakistani embassy in Beijing and a Chinese company based in the coastal province of Zhejiang.

A detailed investigative report published by the website The Klaxon also cites the role of a China-based Pakistani businessman, Syed Ummar Ali Bukhari in facilitating this undercover trade.

The revelations come days after this month’s first leader-level meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or ‘Quad’, comprising US, India, Japan and Australia.

The Klaxon’s investigation carried out by Anthony Klan sourcing its findings from multiple, high-level, foreign intelligence sources reveals that all ‘logistics’ and materials transfers from China to Pakistan are being routed through the Scientific Affairs Division of the Pakistan embassy in Beijing.  All the material that is being smuggled out  is meant to illegally advance Pakistan’s “weapons-related nuclear and missile programme”.

The report points out Pakistan has had nuclear weapon technology since the 1970’s. But quoting high-level intelligence sources, it said that steered by Beijing, Islamabad’s capabilities, including the ability to attach nuclear warheads to ultra-long-range missiles, were expanding rapidly.

According to Klan, senior intelligence sources have also named a China-based Pakistani businessman, Syed Ummar Ali Bukhari, as allegedly being a key figure in the operations.

“Ummar Bukhari has been playing a key role in supplying sensitive equipment to (Pakistan) and to New Auto Engineering, a Pakistan front company sanctioned by the US for its involvement in the development of weapons for mass destruction,” the site said quoting intelligence sources.

The findings cite a report published on Feb 7, 2020, in the Hindustan Times, which revealed that one ship named Da Cui Yun with Hong Kong flag was intercepted by the Indian authorities on February 3, 2020.

The ship had started from Jiangyin port on the Yangtze river in China’s Jiangsu province and was bound for Port Qasim. The daily reported that the ship was intercepted following an intelligence tip-off. Subsequently, one team of India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO) inspected the 18×4-metre autoclave on board. Industrial autoclaves are used to manufacture sheets of silica under high temperature and pressure and have civilian applications. But they are also used in the process of manufacturing long-range ballistic missiles and satellite launch rockets.

China and Pakistan both denied that the autoclave was for military purposes but failed to give any evidence. 

While China has been supplying nuclear weapon technology and materials to Pakistan since the 1980’s, the autoclave interception sent shockwaves through intelligence and security agencies who are increasingly concerned about Pakistan’s China-driven nuclear proliferation.

Quoting his sources, Klan says in his report that Pakistani businessman Ummar Bukhari, the owner and CEO of Yiwu Ganggu Trading Company, which is based in China’s Zhejiang Province, played a key role in the February 2020 attempted autoclave importation. He has also allegedly been closely involved in other illegal transfers. Ummar Bukhari was allegedly involved in commissioning for Pakistan autoclave parts which were received by Pakistan in September 2018.

The attempted autoclave importation was allegedly just one of many similar recent incidents.

“The recent attempt by China to supply the autoclave to Pakistan under the cover of ‘industrial drier’ is one of many such proliferation efforts made by China in the recent past, to augment Pakistan’s strategic capability,” one senior intelligence source told The Klaxon.

Pakistan state-owned defence and aerospace contractor National Defence Complex had received “liberal material and technical assistance from China” for the development of “solid propellant-based missiles Shaheen I, II and III” and “cruise missiles like Babur”.

There have been several recent attempts related to proliferation of atomic weapons and delivery systems.

– A high-level intelligence dossier obtained by The Klaxon details four alleged illegal proliferation incidents involving China and Pakistan.

In January 2019 Pakistan’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO), part of Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence, allegedly approached a Chinese company to upgrade a facility that can be used in developing missiles, including “supersonic cruise missiles”.

“Pakistan approached Aerospace Long March International Company Ltd for procuring equipment/spare parts for upgrading its wind tunnel facility at Chaklala, Rawalpindi, through China Academy of Aerospace & Aerodynamics (CAAA),” the dossier states.

“The facility at Chaklala was set up by CAAA with assistance from China National Precision Machinery Import/Export Corporation (CPMIEC).

“The facility could be used in the development/testing of high speed, scaled-up, models/aerodynamic structures such as aircraft, missiles, including supersonic cruise missiles,” the document states.

– In June 2019 DESTO allegedly approached another Chinese company seeking five “axis computer numerical control machines” which are used in the machining of “complex 3D structures” and have military applications.

“Chinese company Neway CNC Equipment (Suzhou) Company Ltd. was approached (June 2019) by its Pakistan local representative Link Lines Pvt. Ltd., Rawalpindi, for the supply of five axis computer numerical control machines, required by DESTO,” the dossier states.

“The machines find applications in military and aerospace for machining of complex 3D structures”.

– In November 2018 a senior scientist with a Pakistani heavy water production plant was scheduled to visit China to inspect “sensitive equipment” that was being sought by the Pakistan government.

“Athar Munir, a senior scientist at Khushab Chemical Project-I, a heavy water production plant at KCP complex, was scheduled to visit Tianjin, China, from November 26, for the pre-shipment inspection of some sensitive equipment that the Directorate General of Technical Procurement (DGTP) of Pakistan sought to procure from China,” the dossier states.

“The Scientific Affairs Division of the Pakistan embassy, Beijing, was coordinating the visit.”

In May 2018 a Pakistan-based company allegedly imported from China carbon fibre manufacturing equipment capable of producing ballistic missiles. It is alleged the technology ended up in the hands of an entity in Pakistan that produces ballistic missiles and that the Chinese government directly facilitated the transfer.

“A Pakistan-based company imported (May 2018) carbon fibre manufacturing equipment capable of producing high-grade (T-700) special quality carbon fibre that finds application in the production of ballistic missiles, from China,” the intelligence dossier states.

“It is alleged that the end-user in Pakistan is engaged in producing ballistic missiles.

“Upon investigation, China ascertained that though the export of the said equipment is prohibited under Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), it is not covered under the Chinese export control list, and (China) instructed its customs authorities to allow the equipment to move to its destination.

“China also emphasised that it would not allow targeting Pakistan under its own export control laws,” the document states.

(The full article by The Klaxon can be accessed at https://www.theklaxon.com.au/home/china-running-pakistan-nuke-proliferation-via-embassy)