Pakistan has termed the United States (US) decision to impose sanctions on the National Development Complex (NDC) and three commercial entities as unfortunate and biased.

In a statement on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia.

She said the latest installment of sanctions defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries. ‘Such policies have dangerous implications for strategic stability of our region and beyond’, she added.

The spokesperson said Pakistan’s strategic programme is a sacred trust bestowed by 240 million people upon its leadership. She said the sanctity of this trust, held in the highest esteem across the entire political spectrum, cannot be compromised.

‘We also regret the imposition of sanctions on private commercial entities. Similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere doubts and suspicion without any evidence whatsoever’, the spokesperson added.

She said while claiming strict adherence to non-proliferation norms, licensing requirement for advanced military technology to other countries have been waived off in the past.

She said such double standards and discriminatory practices not only undermine the credibility of non-proliferation regimes but also endanger regional and international peace and security.