Sanctions unwarranted, says Pakistan

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, NOV. 23 Pakistan has dubbed the latest U.S. sanctions over alleged missile technology transfer from China ``unjustified and unwarranted'' even as political parties have said that the sanctions are a reflection of the failure of the military government on the diplomatic front.

A spokesman of the Pakistan Foreign Ministry has said the country's missile technology programme is consistent with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and its missile development programme would not be affected by the sanctions.

In a statement the Pakistan Foreign office said ``Pakistan has indigenous missile development programme which is part of our nuclear deterrent and indispensable to our security. This programme will be maintained and will not be affected by any discriminatory regimes such as MTCR''. It said the U.S. had first raised the question of alleged transfer of missile technology by China to Pakistan in early 90s and the question resurfaced recently during the China- U.S. consultations. China has categorically denied the charge of supply of any missile technology or missiles to Pakistan, which violated the MTCR guidelines. Pakistan has also refuted the charge.

The Foreign Office said the U.S. has neither provided any evidence of the alleged transfer nor discussed the matter with Pakistan. ``It is our hope that the U.S. will review the decision and remove these latest sanctions as well as those which it had imposed on many Pakistani civilian facilities two years ago''.

In a separate statement issued from London the former Prime Minister, Mrs. Benazir Bhutto, expressed concern over the new curbs and said they could only further isolate Pakistan. ``A democratic Pakistan enhances the international reputation of a country enabling it to make better diplomatic efforts to secure its position in the world community'', she has said.

China flays sanctions

PTI reports from Beijing:

China today criticised sanctions imposed by the United States on Pakistan and Iran for obtaining missile technology from Beijing as unpopular and said such assistance was normal in state-to- state relations.

``The U.S. Government, in accordance with its own domestic law, imposed sanctions on others. The U.S. is the only one in the world to do so and this is not popular, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mr. Sun Yuxi said.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Front Page
Previous : Azhar denies fixing matches
Next     : Russia hails ceasefire