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Pakistan

Pakistan long-term partner, but policy is to deny support to its long-range ballistic missile programme: US

  • Will continue to use sanctions and other tools to ensure our national security cannot be impacted, says State Dept
Published September 18, 2024

The United States has cautioned that while Pakistan has been its long-term partner, its action of imposing sanctions on Islamabad’s ballistic missile programme shows that “when US has disagreements, it won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests”.

In his weekly press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller was asked about the reasons behind imposing the sanctions on Pakistan, a long-term ally in the war on terror and a prominent trading partner.

“So, the United States is committed to strengthening the international nonproliferation regime by taking action against networks supporting activities of proliferation concern.

“We have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s ballistic missile program for many years,” Miller replied.

His remarks come after September 13 when it was reported that the US had imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies it said have been involved in supplying to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.

In a statement, 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.

“As actions demonstrate, the United States will continue to act against proliferation and associated procurement activities of concern, wherever they occur,” Miller had said.

Meanwhile, in his statement today, Miller said that “what this action shows is that there continue to be places where we have disagreement, and when we have disagreements, we won’t hesitate to act on those to protect America’s interests”.

He further said that it has been Washington’s longstanding policy to deny support to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program.

“We will continue to use our sanctions and other – our other tools to ensure our national security cannot be – cannot be impacted, and that the U.S. financial system cannot be used by proliferators.”

Following US’s decision, the Foreign Office (FO) had dubbed the development as “biased and politically motivated,” saying the “double standards and discriminatory practices” undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes.

FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had said that similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere suspicion, adding that “involved items not listed under any export control regime and yet were considered sensitive under broad, catch-all provisions”.

Pakistan is already caught in a quagmire with Washington warning Islamabad against its pursuit of a gas deal with Iran that has been on hold for a number of years.

Comments

200 characters
KU Sep 18, 2024 12:08pm
Pakistan is a long-term partner who has supported US war in Afghanistan, resulting in loss of over 80k civilians/security personnel in terrorism, along with loss to its economy, yet sanctioned?
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MZI Sep 18, 2024 12:42pm
What are the US interests that are impacted by Pakistan's ballistic program that will eventually lead us into space exploration? This is at the level of US support to genocide.
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Builder Sep 18, 2024 01:53pm
Apply the same logic to India who is now buying billions of dollars worth of fighter engines from sanctioned Russia.
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Yourname Sep 18, 2024 03:25pm
@KU, the country was paid for services rendered,
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Yourname Sep 18, 2024 03:27pm
@MZI, because this is the same country whose leader stated that the country would “rather eat grass” to develop the nuclear bomb capability, before a “space program” how about a “trash program”?
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Mukhtar Sep 18, 2024 04:34pm
@KU, . No we are not. It is the mistakes from Liaqat Ali Khan to this day we are carrying. The burden of US. When he tried to get out of it , he was murdered
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Aizaz Sep 18, 2024 05:58pm
Big blackmailer is US. When it comes to INDIA it has no problem. To hell with their interest and friendship Pakistan should look after it's own interest and get gas supply from Iran on urgent basis
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Ejaz A Sep 18, 2024 07:53pm
Please let this not affect our bailout.
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Ejaz A Sep 18, 2024 07:57pm
Pakistan should make China it's largest trading partner. US doesn't need Pakistan, but Pakistan is surving on precious dollars as aid or loan or charity.
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Ejaz A Sep 18, 2024 07:58pm
When you are a third grade pauper and addicted to loans, you must obey your donors.
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