‘Dangerous implications’: Nuclear-armed Pakistan slams fresh US sanctions over ballistic missile programme 

Pakistan on December 19 slammed latest sanctions imposed by the United States on state-owned and private companies over its long-range ballistic missile programme as “biased” and had “dangerous implications” for regional stability. 

The US on December 18 that four Pakistan companies would be hit by the measures “in light of the continuing proliferation threat of Pakistan's long-range missile development”. 

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the US sanctions were “unfortunate and biased” and have “dangerous implications for strategic stability of our region and beyond”. It accused the United States of waiving the licensing requirements for advanced military technology in other countries.  

Pakistan became one of the few countries to openly possess nuclear weapons in 1998, more than two decades after India, its neighbour and arch-rival announced its atomic capabilities. It has refused to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty, a global agreement to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology. 

“Such double standards and discriminatory practices not only undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes but also endanger regional and international peace and security,” it said. 

In the statement, the US State Department said that the United States has been consistent about its concerns over the matter. “Today, the United States is designating four entities that are contributing to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. We have been clear and consistent about our concerns, and we will continue to engage constructively with Pakistan on these issues,” US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a post on X (formally twitter). 

The United States said the executive order “targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery”. 

It also accused the state-owned National Development Complex (NDC), which it says is responsible for the development of ballistic missiles, of working to acquire special equipment to test and launch the projectiles. 

American citizens will be barred from working with the NDC and three companies associated with it, which will all have their US assets frozen. 

In September this year, the State Department imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies, claiming that they have been supplying the NDC with equipment. 

At that time, Miller said that the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry had worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems.