On December 18, 2024, the U.S. imposed sanctions on four Pakistani entities. The statement issued by the U.S. Department of State alleged that these entities had contributed to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme. These sanctions, issued under Executive Order 13382, “target” proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.[1] The Pakistan Foreign Office reacted strongly to the U.S. announcement, describing the sanctions as “discriminatory” that not only “undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes but also endanger regional and international peace and security.”[2] Moreover, U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer, while speaking at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, stated that Pakistan’s conduct raised “real questions” about the aims of its ballistic missile programme. Further, he said, “Candidly, it’s hard for us to see Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States.”[3] It is important to examine the nature of the U.S. sanctions, their particular timing, the extraordinary claims made by Jon Finer, and the implications for Pakistan of U.S. actions and statements.
