FO ‘categorically rejects’ US intelligence chief’s allegations of Pakistan missile program threat

The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday categorically rejected allegations by the US Director of National Intelligence that Pakistan’s missile program posed a threat, saying the country’s capabilities were “exclusively defensive”.

“Pakistan categorically rejects the recent statement by a US official alleging a potential threat from Pakistan’s missile capabilities. It is emphasized that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are exclusively defensive in nature, aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and maintaining peace and stability in South Asia,” FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.

The statement came after US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Pakistan was among a small group of states whose advanced weapons capabilities could directly endanger the United States. Gabbard’s comments placed Pakistan alongside major powers such as China and Russia, as well as North Korea and Iran, in the category of the most important nuclear and missile-related threats to the United States.

Responding to media questions on the US statement today, Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan’s missile program remained well below intercontinental range and was firmly rooted in a credible minimum deterrence doctrine vis-à-vis India.

“In contrast, India’s development of missile capabilities beyond 12,000 kilometers reflects a trajectory that extends beyond regional security considerations and is certainly a cause for concern for the neighborhood and beyond,” he said.

Andrabi added that Pakistan remained committed to constructive engagement with the United States, anchored in “mutual respect, non-discrimination and factual accuracy.”

“We urge a more measured and considered approach that aligns with South Asia’s strategic imperatives and promotes peace, security and stability across the region,” he said.

This is not the first case in which the United States has leveled unfounded accusations against Pakistan’s missile program. Earlier, the United States not only criticized Pakistan but also imposed additional sanctions for its development of ballistic missiles.

In December 2024, then-US deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said that nuclear-armed Pakistan was developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that could eventually allow it to strike targets far beyond South Asia, making it an “emerging threat” to the United States.

Finer said Pakistan had sought “increasingly sophisticated missile technology, from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment that would allow significantly larger rocket engines to be tested.”

However, Pakistan rejected the concerns raised by the senior US official.

Read more: Pakistan slams US ‘baseless’ accusations of missile threats

That same year, the United States announced additional sanctions against four entities related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. The sanctions were aimed at curbing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, following concerns over Pakistan’s development of long-range missiles.

In April 2024, the United States imposed sanctions on three Chinese and one Belarusian, accusing them of supplying equipment for Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. Islamabad was quick to reject the move, saying the “political use of export controls” would only lead to an arms race and upset the strategic balance.

In September 2023, the United States had attacked a Chinese research institute and several companies involved in helping Pakistan’s missile program. In October 2023, the United States banned three Chinese companies over similar allegations, while in December 2021 another Chinese company faced sanctions.