ISLAMABAD - The FBI investigated Pakistani companies working in energy sector in the United States to ascertain if they had any links with key strategic or nuclear organisations in Pakistan, documentary evidence reveals.
Exclusively available with TheNation, the official documents between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), United States Customs Service, and some US-based Pakistani petroleum enterprises suggest that the FBI probed to determine connections between these companies and those of 94 Pakistani, 10 Russian and two Israeli highly sensitive organisations.
An FBI document gave clearance to a Pakistani petroleum company based in Houston after the company’s attorney had to sign the FBI’s ‘Consent to Search’ form. Two FBI special agents, whose signatures are available on the form without their names mentioned on it, had conducted the search. Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) had hired the Houston-based company for the transportation of gas processors for one of the OGDCL gas plants located roughly a couple of hundred kilometre away Islamabad. Reportedly, the petroleum company was given clearance after the FBI officials were convinced that the company was not linked to the aforesaid Pakistani, Russian and Israeli sensitive organisations.
A related list attached with the form carries the list of these ‘prohibited’ sensitive organisations. The list also contains the handwritten names of Pakistan’s Habib Bank Limited, Hyder Ali and Company, and four Pakistani nationals, Shahid Rehman, Zeeshan Aftab, Ahsan Bhatti and Muhammad Tariq. It also contains the names of some foreign enterprises.
In addition, an attached subpoena of the United States Customs Service, Department of the Treasury, that was served by Customs Special Agent Lessle J Robb required from the Houston-based Pakistani petroleum company the records to be produced for inspection of “Any documentation in your possession relating to the fabrication of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) processing facility which was exported from the United States of America during the time period of June and December 1998.” Of the 94, some of Pakistan’s key Pakistani strategic/nuclear organisations listed in FBI document are: Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL), Karachi Naval Base (Headquarters and Dockyard), Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) Islamabad, its “subordinate entities specifically listed,” Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO) Karachi, its “subordinate entities specifically listed,” Pakistan Ordnance Factories Wah Cantonment, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi, Pakistan Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) Islamabad, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Technology (GIKI) Topi, Dera Ghazi Khan Uranium Mine, Chaklala Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DESTO) Rawalpindi, Daud Khel Chemical Plant Lahore, Engineering Research Laboratories (ERL) Kahuta, Gadwal Uranium Enrichment Plant, Golra Ultracentrifuge Plant Islamabad, Goth Machchi Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant Sadiqabad, Haripur Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant, Havelian Explosives and Ammunition Plant, Hawkes Bay Depot PAEC Karachi, Khewra Soda Ash Plant, Khushab Reactor PAEC Punjab, Lahore Weapons Plant, Chashma Nuclear Power Plant (CHASNUPP) Kundian, Karachi Superphos Fertilizer Plant and several others.
The Israeli organisations include Ben Gurlon University and Nuclear Research Centre Negev Dimona while the Russian ones include All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics, “located in either Snezhinsk or Kremlev,” All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics, Baltic State Technical University, St Petersburg, Eurapalace 2000 Moscow, INOR Scientific Centre Moscow, Glavkosmos St Petersburg, Grafit Moscow, Ministry of Atomic Power for Russia, MOSO Company Moscow and Polyus Scientific Production Association Moscow.
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