Pakistan has strongly condemned the recent decision by the United States to impose sanctions on the National Development Complex (NDC) and three commercial entities, calling it “unfortunate and biased.”
In a statement issued Thursday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office expressed that these sanctions undermine peace and security goals and instead escalate military imbalances. The ministry warned that such actions have dangerous consequences for the strategic stability of the region and beyond.
The US announced the sanctions on Wednesday, citing Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program, which includes the NDC, a state-run defense agency. A State Department spokesperson stated the sanctions were imposed under an executive order aimed at those involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery mechanisms.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, however, argued that the country’s strategic program is a “sacred trust” given to its leadership by the people and must not be compromised. The statement also expressed regret over the sanctions on private commercial entities, accusing the US of imposing such measures based on mere doubts and without solid evidence.
The Foreign Office criticized what it called double standards in the global non-proliferation framework, noting that other countries have been allowed to bypass military technology licensing requirements in the past. These practices, it argued, undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes and endanger both regional and global peace and security.
The US sanctions freeze any assets linked to the designated entities within the US and prohibit American businesses from engaging with them. The NDC, according to the US State Department, has sought to acquire key components for Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, including equipment for missile testing, and is responsible for developing the country’s Shaheen-series missiles. The other targeted companies—Affiliates International, Akhtar and Sons Private Limited, and Rockside Enterprise—are based in Karachi and are accused of assisting the NDC in procuring necessary equipment.
