US statement on missile program baseless: Pakistan
Last Updated on December 23, 2024 7:25 am
Pakistan has rejected the claims of a senior White House official regarding the missile program. The official said that Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities. Which is becoming an ‘emerging threat’ to the United States. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has called the US official’s statement baseless and contrary to bilateral relations.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that these allegations are baseless, devoid of logic and sense of history.
This was reported by Anadolu Agency in a report on Saturday (December 21).
In a statement, the Pakistani spokesperson said that the alleged threat concept about Pakistan’s missile capabilities and means of delivery, raised by the US official, is unfortunate.
The US imposed sanctions on Akhtar & Sons Private Limited, Affiliates International and Rockside Enterprises, as well as Islamabad-based National Development Complex and Karachi-based private companies for their alleged role in Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme.
Later on Thursday, senior White House official and Deputy National Security Advisor John Finer said that Pakistan is developing a long-range missile that can hit targets beyond South Asia, posing a threat to the United States.
Responding to Finer’s statement, spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra expressed regret and said that Pakistan was being unfairly equated with adversaries. She said that this suggestion of comparing Pakistan with Russia, China and North Korea was unreasonable and misleading.
Referring to Pakistan’s long cooperative relations with the US, she said that Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a positive and multifaceted relationship since 1954. The recent US allegations, especially without any evidence, could be damaging to this relationship.
Pakistan has expressed concern that these criticisms are influenced by Indian interests and are further destabilizing regional security. The spokesperson said, “US concerns about Pakistan’s capabilities are clearly being fueled by others, while ignoring and concealing the revelations of our neighbour’s powerful missile capabilities.”