The world’s largest arms fair has thrown out two Pakistani exhibitors after they were found to be promoting cluster munitions that have been banned by the UK and condemned by over a 100 other countries, Guardian reported on Saturday.
Organisers of the London exhibition said they had been unaware that the material was available and an investigation had been launched. But campaigners rounded on the Defence and Security Equipment International fair, saying it was “unbelievable” that more thorough checks had not been undertaken.
The action was taken after Caroline Lucas, the Green party leader, discovered that Pakistani arms manufacturers were actively promoting “banned cluster bombs” at their pavilions. Details of the munitions were in brochures readily available to potential customers. A statement from DSEI confirmed that the two stands had been closed on Thursday evening.
“(We) can confirm that the Pakistan Ordnance Factory stand and Pakistan’s Defence Export Promotion Organisation pavilion have both been permanently shut down after promotional material was found containing references to equipment, which after close examination, was found to breach the UK government export controls and our own contractual requirements.
