Tightening of noose, as they put it :: US announces more sanctions on Pakistan’s missile programme.... :: Bilawal says "our atomic strength is their target"

Bilawal slams US interference in Pakistani politics, says ‘our atomic strength is their target’  

Speaking during an event organised at the Bhutto family’s mausoleum in Larkana’s Ghari Khuda Bux to commemorate the 17th death anniversary of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto on Friday, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said: “I want to tell the whole world that as long as the PPP exists, we will not compromise on our atomic power or our missile programme.”  

“They are looking at our gifts with malicious intent and will take any excuse to strip you of your strength.”

The PPP chairman emphasised the need for political stability to counter foreign interference, stressing that key decisions should be made through consensus to achieve that goal.

“We need to unite in order to combat these conspiracies,” he said, adding that politics needed to be put to one side.

The United States last week said it was imposing additional sanctions related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, targeting four entities that it alleged were contributing to the proliferation or delivery of such weapons.

“The United States will continue to act against proliferation and associated procurement activities of concern,” the US Department of State said in a statement.

It added that the decision was taken “in light of the continuing proliferation threat of Pakistan’s long-range missile development”.

It said the four entities were being designated for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (EO) 13382, which targeted proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.  

In September, the State Department imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies it claimed were involved in supplying Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme.

Department spokesperson Matthew Miller had said in a statement that the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry had worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems, according to reports in Pakistani media. 

Washington had similarly targeted three China-based companies with sanctions in October 2023 for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan.

 

The Pakistani army and the the government of the day may come under tremendous pressure for the release of jailed former Prime Minister and cricket ico Imran Khan.   

"From the bustling mills of Faisalabad to the humming ports of Karachi, clouds of uncertainty hover over Pakistan’s export industry as proposed tariff hikes under the new US administration threaten to disrupt global trade," runs an article in Pakistan's leading English daily 'Dawn'. 

"The stakes could not be higher for Pakistan, given that the US is not only its largest export destination but also one of the few countries with which it enjoys a significant trade surplus. 

In 2023, Pakistan’s exports to the US reached $5.01 billion, accounting for approximately 18 per cent of the country’s total exports. This advantageous trade relationship is now at risk, with potential implications that extend far beyond simple tariff calculations. The ultimate impact will depend on multiple interconnected factors: price elasticity of Pakistani goods in the US market, trade diversion effects from US tariffs on China, and global trade dynamics. 

These complexities mean the effects could range from temporary market adjustments to long-term structural changes," says the article penned by Malik Muhammad Danish.