- Pakistan calls its strategic program a “sacred trust” of 240 million people.
- The sanctity of the vows of this trust cannot be compromised.
- According to him, American sanctions aim to accentuate military asymmetries.
Hours after the United States announced the imposition of additional sanctions related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, Islamabad called the move “biased”, stressing that the US decision has “dangerous implications for the strategic stability of our region and beyond.”
Pakistan’s forceful response comes after the United States said in a statement on the State Department’s website that the decision was made “in light of the continuing threat of proliferation related to the development of long-range missiles carried in Pakistan.
Hours later, Pakistan reacted to the US announcement regarding the implementation of sanctions against the National Development Complex and three business entities.
“Pakistan views the US decision to impose sanctions against the NDC and three business entities as unfortunate and biased,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement on Thursday.
“Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are intended to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia. The latest tranche of sanctions defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries. Such policies have dangerous implications for the strategic stability of our region and beyond.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the country’s strategic agenda is a sacred mandate granted by 240 million people to its leaders, adding that the sanctity of this mandate, held in the highest esteem across the political spectrum, cannot be compromised.
“We also regret the imposition of sanctions on private commercial entities,” the statement noted.
She noted that similar registrations of business entities in the past were based on mere doubts and suspicions, without any evidence.
While affirming strict adherence to non-proliferation norms, licensing requirements for advanced military technologies destined for other countries have been waived in the past, it says.
“Such discriminatory practices and double standards not only undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes, but also endanger regional and international peace and security,” the text adds.
American sanctions
In the statement, the United States said the four entities were designated for sanctions under Executive Order (EO) 13382, which targeted proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.
“The Pakistan National Development Complex – which is responsible for Pakistan’s ballistic missile program and has worked to acquire elements to advance Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program – and Affiliates International, Akhtar and Sons Private Limited and Rockside Enterprise – which have worked to provide equipment and missile components to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including its long-range missile program – are designated pursuant to EO 13382 Section 1(a)(ii) for engaging or attempting to engage in activities or transactions that have materially contributed, or present a risk of materially contributing, to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery (including missiles capable of carrying such weapons), including any effort to manufacture, acquire, possess, develop, transport, transfer or use such items by Pakistan,” the statement read.
In September this year, Washington targeted with sanctions five entities and one individual involved in ballistic missile expansion and control of missile equipment and technology in Pakistan.
Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the Beijing Machine-Building Industry Automation Research Institute had worked with Pakistan to acquire equipment to test rocket engines for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems.
However, Pakistan has categorically rejected “unilateral” US sanctions against technology companies allegedly linked to the country’s ballistic missile program, calling them “unjust, unfounded and unjustified.”
Similarly, the United States – in October 2023 – imposed sanctions on three Chinese companies for supplying Pakistan with missile components.
The sanctions also affected Chinese companies Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Co, Universal Enterprise and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Co. Pakistan-based Innovative Equipment and a Chinese national were sanctioned for knowingly transferring equipment under restrictions related to missile technology.