A senior White House official on Thursday said nuclear-armed Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets well beyond South Asia, making it an "emerging threat" to the United States, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Friday.
During a speech at a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event in Washington, US National Security Deputy Adviser John Feiner stated that Pakistan is working on increasingly sophisticated missile technology, ranging from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment capable of testing much larger rocket engines.
Finer emphasized that if these trends continue, Pakistan will have the ability to target locations far beyond South Asia, including the US. He also pointed out that the number of countries possessing nuclear weapons with missiles capable of reaching the US is very small, and they are generally adversaries.
"So, candidly, it's hard for us to see Pakistan's actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the US," Finer added.
John Feiner’s speech came a day after Washington announced a new round of sanctions related to Pakistan's ballistic missile development programme, including against the state-run defence agency that oversees the programme.
Islamabad casts its long-range ballistic missile programme as a deterrent against Indian aggression and intended to maintain regional stability.
Feiner included himself among senior U.S. officials who he said repeatedly have raised concerns about the programme with top Pakistani officials.
Washington and Islamabad, he noted, had been "long-time partners" on development, counterterrorism and security. "That makes us question even more why Pakistan will be motivated to develop a capability that could be used against us."
New US missile sanctions
On Wednesday, the US announced new sanctions related to Pakistan's ballistic missile development programme. The restrictions, for the first time, were imposed on the country's state defence agency, which oversees the missile programme. These sanctions aim to curb Pakistan's efforts to advance its missile technology and address concerns over its growing missile capabilities.
According to Reuters news agency, two senior US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that Washington's concerns over Pakistan's missile programme have been longstanding and stem from the size of the missile engines being developed.
One official told Western journalists that the threat to the US will persist for the next 10 years. "They don't acknowledge our concerns. They tell us we are biased," said the second US official.
The official added that Pakistani authorities have incorrectly suggested that US sanctions on their missile programme are intended to destroy their ability to defend against India.
Pakistan has also developed a significant arsenal of ballistic missiles capable of launching nuclear warheads. According to the research organization Bulletin of the American Scientists, Pakistan has an estimated stockpile of around 170 warheads.
Western media have noted that the statement from the American official about a new threat could highlight how the once close ties between Washington and Islamabad have deteriorated following the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the return of the Taliban to power in the country.
US-Pakistan relations have seen fluctuations over the years. They were strengthened during the Cold War when the two countries supported Afghan Mujahideen in their fight against Soviet troops during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-89.
It is also important to note that Pakistan was a key partner for the US in the fight against the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda following the September 11, 2001, attacks. Moreover, since 2004, Pakistan has been designated a major non-NATO ally.
Pakistan slams US sanctons as ‘danger to peace’
In reaction, Pakistan had said that recent additional sanctions imposed by the United States on four Pakistani firms were “biased” and “endanger regional and international peace”.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said “Pakistan considers the US decision to impose sanctions on NDC and three commercial entities as unfortunate and biased.”
“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 added.
Asserting that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities were meant to “defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia”, the FO said the latest instalment of sanctions “defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries”.
“Such policies have dangerous implications for strategic stability of our region and beyond,” the statement stressed.
Regretting the imposition of sanctions on three Karachi-based private commercial entities, the FO said: “Similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere doubts and suspicion without any evidence whatsoever.
“While claiming strict adherence to non-proliferation norms, licensing requirement for advanced military technology to other countries have been waived off in the past,” it noted.
The FO stated that Pakistan’s strategic programme was a “sacred trust bestowed by 240 million people upon its leadership”. “The sanctity of this trust, held in the highest esteem across the entire political spectrum, cannot be compromised,” it asserted.