Fri Dec 27 09:40:52 UTC 2024: ## Pakistan’s Missile Advance Sparks US Concerns Over Nuclear Threat
**Washington D.C.** – Pakistan’s development of long-range ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States has prompted a stern warning from the US government. The advancements, particularly concerning the upgraded Shaheen-III missile and the Ababeel missile, represent a significant escalation in regional tensions and pose a potential threat to US national security.
US Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer stated that Pakistan’s actions are viewed as an “emerging threat” to the US. While the Shaheen-III was initially designed to target India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Pakistan is reportedly seeking assistance, believed to be from China, to significantly extend its range. This extended range would allow the missile to reach US territories, as well as targets in Israel and US naval bases in East Africa.
The concern extends beyond the missiles’ potential range. The US acknowledges Pakistan’s internal instability and the presence of numerous terrorist groups within its borders. The risk of this technology falling into the wrong hands – either through state-sponsored proliferation or accidental leakage – is a major point of concern for Washington.
These concerns have led to action. Last week, the US sanctioned four Pakistani entities, including the National Development Complex (NDC), a state-owned aerospace and defense agency, for their involvement in Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile program. Three additional Karachi-based companies were also sanctioned for acquiring equipment related to the program.
The US State Department explicitly cited NDC’s role in developing the Shaheen-series missiles. The sanctions target the acquisition of items such as special vehicle chassis for missile launch support and missile testing equipment.
This latest development highlights a long history of concerns regarding Pakistan’s nuclear program. Since its 1998 nuclear tests, Pakistan has faced repeated sanctions, primarily for proliferation activities facilitated, according to US officials, by Chinese support. This assistance has enabled Pakistan to develop and enhance its missile technology, often circumventing international regulations like the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Past incidents, including the acquisition and reverse-engineering of a US Tomahawk missile by China and its subsequent sale to Pakistan, underscore this pattern of collaboration. The continued illicit transfer of sensitive technology through clandestine networks, potentially with Chinese complicity, remains a major source of worry for the US and its allies.
First Piper 