Pakistan rejects US official’s charges against its missile programme as ‘unfounded’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday slammed as “unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history”, allegations from a senior US official that Pakistan’s long-range missiles could acquire capabilities to strike targets in the United States.

“We wish to reiterate that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia. Since 1954, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a positive and broad-ranging relationship. The alleged threat perception from Pakistan’s missile capabilities and delivery means, raised by the US official, are unfortunate. These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history,” said the Foreign Office.

Earlier on Thursday without presenting any evidence, a senior White House official, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, made a shocking statement at a think tank, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He alleged that nuclear-armed Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including the United States, making it an “emerging threat” to the United States.

Pakistan, while making it abundantly clear, stated that its strategic program and allied capabilities are solely meant to deter and thwart a clear and visible existential threat from its neighbourhood and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country. “Such irrational assumption of a hostile intent from Pakistan by any other country, including the US, is perplexing as well as illogical,” it said.

The United States was reminded that there is unshakeable resolve and complete consensus across Pakistan and across the entire political and social spectrum of the country as far as its ‘strategic programme’ is concerned.

“In view of the profound sanctity of strategic programme for the people of Pakistan and for the country’s defence, our clear iterations and manifestation of intent and purpose thereof, any attempt to seek intrusion into it, in any form or manner, on any pretext whatsoever, is neither thinkable nor possible,” said the Foreign Office.

It also sent a veiled warning that in the absence of any evidence the recent spate of US allegations towards a major non-NATO ally would be ‘unhelpful’ for the overall relationship.

“Pakistan has never had any ill-intention towards the US in any form or manner, and this fundamental reality has not changed. On the contrary, Pakistan has made monumental sacrifices for this relationship and continues to suffer hugely in sustaining the onslaught of the aftermath of US policies in the region,” pointed the Foreign Office, hinting at the US involvement inside Afghanistan.

Pakistan, without naming India, said that these unfounded allegations from the United States were regrettable as the US official alluded to bracketing Pakistan with those who are perceived to be in an adversarial relationship with the US.

“While ignoring and shielding the manifestations of a much more potent missile capability in our eastern neighbourhood, concerns on Pakistani capabilities are being raised seemingly at the behest of others to further accentuate the already fragile strategic stability in the region,” said the Foreign Office.

The United States was reminded that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia and there was no way that it would abdicate its right to develop capabilities that commensurate with the need to maintain credible minimum deterrence as well as evolving and dynamic threats.

“Since 2012 when the US officials started broaching the subject, different Pakistani governments, leadership and officials, have endeavored from time to time, to positively address and remove the misplaced US concerns,” reminded the Foreign Office.

Looking at the future of Pak-US ties, Pakistan pointed out that it has always sought to engage constructively with the US on all issues, including the need to pursue a balanced approach to security and stability in our region. “We have a long history of cooperation and wish to build on this strong legacy,” it assured.