Pakistan has strongly criticized the recent imposition of new US sanctions on the country's ballistic missile program, labeling them as discriminatory and a threat to regional peace and security. The Pakistani foreign ministry issued a statement expressing concerns over the implications of the sanctions on the strategic stability of the region and beyond.
The sanctions target specific businesses allegedly involved in weapons proliferation, with the US State Department identifying the Islamabad-based National Development Complex as one of the entities working on Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile program. Other sanctioned entities include Akhtar and Sons Private Limited, Affiliates International, and Rockside Enterprise.
The US sanctions freeze any US-owned property of the targeted businesses and prohibit Americans from engaging in business transactions with them. The State Department spokesperson emphasized the US's consistent stance on weapons proliferation issues and pledged to continue engaging with Pakistan on these matters.
Pakistan has refuted the allegations, citing a lack of concrete evidence and accusing the US of applying double standards by granting waivers for military technology to other countries. The sanctions have also drawn criticism from within Pakistan, with the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan opposing the measures.
Analysts view Pakistan's nuclear and missile program as a response to perceived threats from neighboring India, with both countries engaging in regular missile tests. The historical tensions between the two South Asian nations, particularly over the disputed region of Kashmir, have led to multiple conflicts since their independence from British rule in 1947.
Security experts have condemned the US sanctions as shortsighted and potentially destabilizing for the South Asian region. The ongoing geopolitical dynamics between Pakistan and India underscore the complexities of nuclear capabilities and missile development in the region.
