Pakistan Denounces US ‘Political Exploitation’ in Sanctions Against Missile Program Allie

• Pakistan denounces US sanctions, labeling them as politically motivated exploitation of export controls.
• Four entities, including Chinese and Belarusian companies, targeted for alleged involvement in Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.
• Islamabad calls for transparent dialogue to prevent discriminatory application of export controls and safeguard legitimate commercial interests.

Pakistan has firmly rebuffed what it perceives as the “political exploitation of export controls” in response to the recent imposition of sanctions by the United States on four entities allegedly involved in supplying materials relevant to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, the Foreign Office (FO) declared on Saturday.

According to a statement released by the US State Department on Friday evening, the entities, comprising three Chinese and one Belarusian company, were singled out for their purported assistance to Pakistan’s endeavors in developing long-range missiles.

Emphasizing that the objective of the sanctions is not only to Missile Program rather aimed at inducing positive behavioral changes, the statement outlined the entities subject to the measures. These include the Belarus-based Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant, China-based Xi’an Longde Technology Development Company Limited, Tianjin Creative Source International Trade Co Ltd, and Granpect Company Limited.

Under Executive Order 13382, the sanctions entail the blocking of all property and interests in property belonging to the designated entities within the United States or under the control of US persons. Additionally, individuals or entities with a direct or indirect ownership stake of 50 per cent or more in the designated entities fall under the purview of these sanctions.

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Transactions involving the property or interests of designated or blocked persons are strictly prohibited unless authorized by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or exempt. This encompasses the transfer of funds, goods, or services to or from any blocked entity.

Santions Hits Pakistan’s Missile Program:

• Pakistan rejects US sanctions targeting entities allegedly involved in its ballistic missile program, denouncing it as political exploitation.
• Three Chinese and one Belarusian company are singled out for purported assistance to Pakistan’s missile endeavors.
• Sanctions, imposed under Executive Order 13382, block property and interests in the US and affect entities with significant ownership ties.
• Mumtaz Zahra Baloch criticizes the selective application of non-proliferation measures, calling for transparent dialogue to prevent unjust sanctions.
• Baloch emphasizes the need for mechanisms to avoid arbitrary application of export controls and advocates for fair treatment in global affairs.

Furthermore, the entry of designated individuals into the United States has been suspended under Presidential Proclamation 8693.

Highlighting the importance of maintaining the integrity of these sanctions, the US government underscored the willingness to remove persons from the list in accordance with the law, stating that this is crucial for their effectiveness.

Responding to the sanctions, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch issued a statement condemning the politicization of export controls. She criticized what she described as a selective application of non-proliferation measures, alleging that jurisdictions claiming strict adherence to such controls have waived licensing requirements for advanced military technologies for certain countries.

Baloch asserted that such discriminatory practices and double standards undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes and jeopardize regional and global peace and security by exacerbating military imbalances.

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Referring to previous instances where commercial entities were listed based on allegations of ties to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program without substantive evidence, Baloch lamented the lack of transparency in such actions.

While acknowledging the recent sanctions by the United States, Baloch expressed Pakistan’s readiness to engage in discussions on end-use and end-user verification mechanisms. She emphasized the necessity of avoiding arbitrary application of export controls and advocated for an objective mechanism to prevent unwarranted sanctions on technology essential for socio-economic development.

In conclusion, Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue and cooperation to ensure that legitimate commercial users are not adversely affected by what she characterized as the discriminatory application of export controls.