Washington DC, US: At the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer voiced serious concerns over Pakistan’s missile program, warning that its advancements could potentially threaten the United States.
Finer highlighted that Pakistan’s development of sophisticated missile technology, including long-range ballistic missile systems and larger rocket motors, has raised questions about its intentions.
“If these trend lines continue, Pakistan will have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States, raising real questions about Pakistan’s intentions,” Finer stated.
The Deputy NSA noted that such developments align Pakistan with a small group of nations possessing nuclear weapons and long-range missile capabilities that could target the US, typically adversarial countries like Russia, North Korea, and China.
“It’s hard for us to see Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States,” he added.
Finer expressed confusion over Pakistan’s motivations, given its historical partnership with the US on counterterrorism, development, and other security issues.
“We’ve provided support to Islamabad during difficult times and continue to desire a cooperative relationship in areas of shared interest. That makes us question even more why Pakistan would be motivated to develop capabilities that could be used against us,” he said.
He also criticized Pakistan for not addressing international concerns about its missile program, leading the Biden administration to impose sanctions. These include penalties on non-Pakistani entities supporting Pakistan’s ballistic missile program and direct sanctions on Pakistan’s state-owned National Development Complex for its role in missile development.
“This is the first time we have sanctioned a Pakistani state-owned enterprise tied to missile development,” Finer emphasized.
The US intends to maintain pressure on Pakistan to curb its missile program while pursuing diplomatic efforts to address these security concerns.
“Simply put, we’re going to keep the pressure on Pakistan regarding its long-range missile program even as we continue to seek diplomatic resolutions,” he stated, encouraging other nations to take similar steps.
Finer underscored the broader goal of arms control and limiting the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD):
“It is in all of our interests to ensure that our nation prioritizes arms control and reduces WMD risks across the world.”
On Wednesday, the US announced sanctions against four entities contributing to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, reinforcing its stance against proliferation threats.