'Discriminatory': Pakistan rejects US sanctions on firms accused of missile parts’ supply

Pakistan on Saturday firmly rejected US sanctions on its tech companies, which were accused of ties to the country's ballistic missile programme, labelling the unilateral action as unjust, baseless, and unnecessary.

"Pakistan considers this action as biased and politically-motivated. Similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere suspicion; involved items not listed under any export control regime and yet were considered sensitive under broad, catch-all provisions," said Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Mofa), in a statement.

"It is widely known that some countries while claiming strict adherence to nonproliferation norms, have conveniently waived licensing requirements for advanced military technologies to their favoured states."

Baloch called the US sanctions "double standards and discriminatory" saying that such "practices undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes, increase military asymmetries, and endanger international peace and security."

On September 13, 2024, the United States Department of State announced that it had acted against five entities and one individual involved in the expansion of ballistic missiles and controlled missile equipment and technology to Pakistan.

Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on Thursday alleged 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.

In October 2023, Washington targeted three Chinese companies with sanctions for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan.

The sanctions also affected China-based firms Hubei Huachangda Intelligent Equipment Co, Universal Enterprise, and Xi’an Longde Technology Development Co. Pakistan-based Innovative Equipment and a Chinese national were sanctioned for knowingly transferring equipment under missile technology restrictions, Miller added.

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

The embassies of China and Pakistan in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for China’s embassy in Washington, said: “China firmly opposes unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law or authorisation of the UN Security Council.”

China will “firmly protect” Chinese companies’ and individuals’ rights and interests, Liu said.