Behind the US decision

The Pakistani government has strongly protested the US decision to sanction four Pakistani companies accused of conducting research and manufacturing long-range missiles for Pakistan and playing a key role in promoting the long-range missile development program.

There are two other notable developments related to this story.

First is the US argument that Pakistan's increased research and production of long-range missiles in particular and its missile development program in general constitute a security threat to the US. This makes public opinion feel strange because Pakistan has always been a close ally of the US, both in name and in reality, and has always received a significant amount of US military aid.

It is true that Pakistan's internal politics are often volatile and the country has traditional cooperative relationships with a number of countries in the world that the US is at odds with, but it is difficult to believe that Pakistan would turn against the US.

Pakistan army parade in March 2022

The second notable development is that just days before the decision, the US sanctioned several Chinese entities for allegedly cooperating with and supporting four Pakistani companies, that is, helping Pakistan develop its missile program.

The US’s accusations against the relevant Chinese entities are essentially about the proliferation of missile technology, especially long-range missiles. It seems that the core of the US’s concern is that China, through helping Pakistan promote its missile development program, is trying to bind and bind Pakistan more tightly, and at the same time use Pakistan to counter the US. Thus, the US sanctions Pakistan to target someone else.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phia-sau-quyet-dinh-cua-my-185241222230736958.htm