A senior official from the White House has raised alarms regarding Pakistan’s development of long-range ballistic missiles, which could potentially target locations beyond South Asia, including the United States. During a speech on Thursday, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer expressed serious concerns about Pakistan’s missile program, stating that its recent actions make it difficult to view them as anything but a growing threat to U.S. security.
Finer highlighted that Pakistan is enhancing its missile technology, with advancements in long-range systems and equipment that could facilitate the testing of larger rocket motors. He warned that if this trend continues, Pakistan could acquire the capability to strike targets far beyond its region, including the U.S.
His remarks followed the announcement of new sanctions from Washington aimed at curbing Pakistan’s missile development, targeting the state defense agency responsible for the program. Additionally, during a press briefing, U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel acknowledged Pakistan’s role as an important U.S. partner but reiterated that there are significant concerns regarding its missile advancements.
Patel assured that while sanctions would be enforced to uphold national security and global non-proliferation efforts, they would not hinder U.S.-Pakistan relations in other areas, and discussions with the Pakistani government would persist.
