The United States has said its long-standing policy of refusing to support Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, calling Pakistan an “important partner” that shares the US commitment to maintaining the global non- proliferation.
The US statement comes hours after Pakistan’s forceful response to the State Department’s Dec. 18 announcement of additional sanctions against entities contributing to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.
Earlier in the day, Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said Islamabad’s conduct raised “real questions” about its intentions, saying nuclear-armed Pakistan was developing capabilities of long-range ballistic missiles that could eventually allow it to strike targets outside South Asia, including the United States. States.
“Frankly, it is difficult for us to view Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States,” Finer said in a speech to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Earlier in the day, the United States reiterated that it would continue to use sanctions and other tools to protect its national security.
“The United States is committed to upholding the global non-proliferation regime and Pakistan is an important partner in this regard. However, we have been clear and consistent about our concerns regarding Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program ” said Vedant Patel, deputy director. » said the spokesperson for the US State Department during a weekly press briefing on Thursday.
“It is longstanding U.S. policy to refuse to support Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program. The State Department will continue to use sanctions and other tools to protect our national security and ensure that exporters and American financial systems cannot be abused by the proliferating United States.
The spokesperson said the United States looks forward to continuing to engage constructively with the Pakistani government on these issues.
In response to a question, Patel said the United States had concerns about Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, but these did not affect many other areas of bilateral cooperation.
US points finger at Pakistan’s missile program
The US State Department announced on December 18 that it was imposing additional sanctions related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, targeting four entities it said were contributing to the proliferation or delivery of such weapons.
The statement, posted on the State Department’s website, said the decision was made “in light of the continuing threat of proliferation related to Pakistan’s long-range missile development.”
He added that the four entities were designated for sanctions pursuant to 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.
However, Islamabad reacted sharply to the development, calling the decision “biased” and stressing that the US decision has “dangerous implications for the strategic stability of our region and beyond”.
“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,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.
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.
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.
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.