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Pakistan dismisses US official's warning over missile program

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  • Pakistan dismisses US official's warning over missile program
  • December 21, 2024
  • Article Body Text KARACHI, PAKISTAN — <p>Pakistan's Foreign Ministry on Saturday dismissed as unfounded and &quot;devoid of rationality&quot; assertions by a senior U.S. official that its missile program could eventually pose a threat to the United States.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said Pakistan's development of long-range ballistic missiles made it an &quot;emerging threat.&quot;</p> <p>Finer's comments, which came a day after Washington announced a new round of sanctions related to the ballistic missile program, underscored the deterioration in once-close ties between Washington and Islamabad since the 2021 U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.</p> <p><a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-defends-ballistic-missile-development-amid-new-us-sanctions/7906934.html">Pakistan defends ballistic missile development amid new US sanctions</a></p> <p>Addressing Finer's remarks, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the perception of an alleged threat was &quot;unfortunate.&quot;</p> <p>&quot;These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history,&quot; the ministry said in a statement.</p> <p>The ministry said that its strategic capabilities were solely for defending its sovereignty and maintaining regional stability, and that they should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.</p> <p>It also highlighted Pakistan's long history of cooperation with the U.S., particularly in counterterrorism efforts, and reiterated its commitment to engaging constructively on all issues, including regional security and stability.</p> <p>Relations between the United States and Pakistan have seen significant ups and downs. The countries collaborated during the Cold War and in the fight against al-Qaida after 9/11.</p> <p>Ties have been strained, however, due to coups in the South Asian country by Pakistan's military, support for the Taliban's 1996-2001 rule in Afghanistan, and over the nuclear weapons program.</p>
  • Content Type Text
  • Language English
  • NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
  • Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
  • Network VOA
  • Embargo Date December 21, 2024 07:40 EST
  • Byline Reuters
  • Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English
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