NOW one is able to understand where the lethal weapons in this region are coming from and also how the US and its allies are using dirty weapons to kill indiscriminately in Afghanistan. It has been revealed to this paper from reliable diplomatic sources that the US and its allies have shipped an unprecedented amount of conventional weapons, including some which they had supposedly avowed to stop using such as cluster munitions and their components. These revelations are substantiated by the fact that during the Musharraf era, Port Qasim in Pakistan had effectively become a covert US base for the US with marines stationed there and it was through here that the lethal weapons transportation was taking place. Even today one is not clear to what extent the US continues to have a hold over Port Qasim. Ironic indeed that while Port Qasim was virtually handed over to the US, the Musharraf government was not prepared to have the Chinese in Gwadar Port. Not only were these weapons sent to Afghanistan to kill thousands of innocent Afghans, undoubtedly some of these weapons must have found their way into the hands of militants in Pakistan also. What is shocking is the almost careless manner in which these arms were sent and transported through Pakistan into Afghanistan - putting the whole civil population of Pakistan under threat in the process as the containers traversed the country from the southern port across to the north-western international border with Afghanistan. Private shipping companies were used and then they often sublet transportation to their associates. All the while there was no check or special security arrangement for transporting these lethal weapons. Another issue of concern is the impact of sending such huge quantities of arms into Afghanistan and often into the hands of human rights abusers. Interestingly, Amnesty International in its 19 July Report also expressed this concern especially in relation to deliveries of cluster bombs on ships managed by UK and German shipping companies but transported from South Korea to Pakistan between March 2008 and February 2010. Both the UK and Germany indulged in these activities despite their commitment to comprehensively ban the transfer and use of cluster munitions. It appears that transport companies registered in the five UN permanent members are able to move conventional weapons and munitions to countries across the world with hardly any checks. It is unfortunate that the US and NATO have filled the country with lethal weapons which are causing massive loss of life and injury of innocent Afghans. In addition, these weapons are clearly also going into the hands of militants. Even more shameful is the manner in which the Pakistani state has acquiesced to what could be an international crime against humanity. It is no wonder that the militants targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces are equipped with high tech and lethal weapons. It is time the Pakistani state revoked such transit facilities for NATO and took control of its ports again.