US expresses concern over Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, sanctions imposed

The United States has reiterated its concerns over Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, with State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasising the country’s vital role as a partner in non-proliferation efforts. Patel’s remarks came in response to questions about the latest round of U.S. sanctions targeting Pakistan’s missile program.

Patel stressed that the U.S. remains committed to maintaining the global nonproliferation regime and expressed the hope of continuing constructive engagement with Pakistan on issues related to arms control. However, he made it clear that the U.S. is concerned about Pakistan’s missile capabilities, which could potentially reach targets well beyond South Asia, including the United States.

“We have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program. It is longstanding U.S. policy to deny support to Pakistan’s missile program,” Patel said during a press briefing. He added that sanctions and other tools would continue to safeguard U.S. national security and prevent the abuse of U.S. financial systems by proliferators.

Patel’s comments came after the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Pakistan’s National Development Complex (NDC), the state-owned defence agency responsible for overseeing the missile program, as well as three related firms. The sanctions were imposed under an executive order targeting proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

In response to criticism from Pakistan’s Foreign Office, which labelled the U.S. actions as “double standards,” Patel explained that the sanctions specifically addressed concerns related to Pakistan’s missile program and did not impact broader U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in other areas.

Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer also voiced concerns earlier this week, highlighting a shift in Pakistan’s nuclear and missile program objectives. Speaking at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Finer stated that Pakistan’s missile program now has the potential to strike targets outside of South Asia, including within the U.S.