Islamabad (TDI): Hours after the United States announced additional sanctions on Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, Islamabad condemned the move as “biased”, warning it could have dangerous implications for regional and global strategic stability.
Pakistan’s strong reaction followed Washington’s Statement on the State Department’s website, citing the decision as being made “in light of the continuing proliferation threat posed by Pakistan’s long-range missile development”.
Hours later, Pakistan reacted to the US announcement regarding the implementation of sanctions on National Development Complex and 3 commercial entities.
“Pakistan views the US decision to impose sanctions on NDC and three commercial entities as biased and regrettable,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement on Thursday.
“Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are solely aimed at defendng its sovereignty and ensuring peace and stability in South Asia. The latest sanctions defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries. Such steps have dangerous implications for strategic stability of the region and beyond.”
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The Foreign Office stressed that Pakistan’s strategic programme is a sacred trust bestowed by 240 million people upon its leadership, adding that the sanctity of this trust, held in the highest esteem across the whole political spectrum, cannot be compromised.
“We also regret the sanctions imposed on private commercial entities,” the statement said, adding that similar actions in the past were based on mere suspicion and lacked any concrete evidence.
While claiming strict adherence to non-proliferation norms, licensing requirement for advanced military technology to other nations have been waived off in the past, it stated.
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“Such biased practices and double standards not only damage the credibility of non-proliferation regimes but also endanger regional and global peace and security,” it added.
US Sanctions
The US said in a statement that the 4 entities were being designated for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 13382, which targeted proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
“Pakistan’s National Development Complex, responsible for the country’s ballistic missile programme, has been involved in procuring materials to advance Pakistan’s long range ballistic missile capabilities, and Affiliates International, Rockside Enterprise, and Akhtar and Sons Private Limited,– which have worked to supply equipment and missile‐applicable products to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, including its long range missile program – are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 Section 1(a)(ii) for having engaged, or attempted to engage, in activities or transactions that have substantially contributed to, or pose a risk of materially contributing to, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery, including any efforts to develop, procure, possess, manufacture, transfer, transport, or use such items, by Pakistan,” read the statement.
