Following reports that Pakistan would receive Excess Defence Articles (EDA), including Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles after the U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan, the office of the spokesperson, U.S. Department of State, on Monday at a press briefing had clarified that “we have not and do not intend to transfer EDA from Afghanistan to any of its neighbouring countries, including Pakistan.” However, Dawn quoted Pakistan Defence Secretary Asif Yasin Malik as saying that Pakistan would be receiving the United States’ leftover military hardware after the completion of withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan later this year. Already there are protests from Afghanistan against Pakistan being favoured in the EDA.
While Pakistan is hopeful of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles, the U.S. State Department said military equipment that has been determined to be excess can be made available through the worldwide EDA programme, which is open to all eligible countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan. A number of countries, including Pakistan, routinely request EDA through the worldwide EDA programme.
The United States is currently reviewing Pakistan’s request for EDA sourced from the worldwide available EDA pool and it has not refused Pakistan’s request regarding EDA sourced from the worldwide pool (to include any request that might involve MRAPs), the State Department said.
However, it was also stated that “U.S. military equipment leaving overland from Afghanistan through Pakistan or via the Northern Distribution Network is part of the overall process of removing equipment as our forces draw down in Afghanistan. We have not and do not intend to transfer this equipment to the governments neighboring Afghanistan.”
