ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday took strong exception to the “politically motivated” US decision to impose sanctions against commercial entities on allegations of links with the country’s ballistic missile programme.
Responding to media queries regarding the US decision to impose sanctions against four commercial entities — one based in Belarus and three in China — on allegations of links with Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that such listings of commercial entities have taken place in the past, as well, on allegations of links to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme without sharing any evidence whatsoever. “While we are not aware of the specifics of the latest measures by the United States, in the past we have come across many instances where listings have been made on mere suspicion or even when the involved items were not on any control lists but were deemed sensitive under catch-all provisions,” she said.
“Pakistan rejects political use of export controls. It is a reality that the same jurisdictions, which claim to exercise strict non-proliferation controls, have waived off licensing requirements for advanced military technologies for some countries,” she added. She stated that this is leading to arms build up; accentuating regional asymmetries, and undermining the objectives of non-proliferation and of regional and global peace and security.
Missile parts supplies to Pakistan? US puts sanctions on three Chinese companies
“We have pointed out many times the need to avoid arbitrary application of export controls and for discussions between concerned parties for an objective mechanism to avoid erroneous sanctions on technology needed purely for socio-economic development pursuits,” the spokesperson added.
She pointed out that Pakistan has been ready to discuss end-use and end-user verification mechanisms so that legitimate commercial users are not hurt by discriminatory application of export controls. She added that such discriminatory approaches and double standards are undermining the credibility of non-proliferation regimes and also the objectives of regional and global peace and security by accentuating military asymmetries.
The United States on late Friday imposed sanctions on four entities — three Chinese and one from Belarus — allegedly for supplies to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, a move that comes hours ahead of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to the country on April 22.
These included Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, China-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, another China-based Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd, and Chinese Granpect Company Limited.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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