PM Shehbaz Sharif Rules Out Compromise on Pakistan’s Nuclear Programme Amid US Sanctions
Islamabad, The Gulf Observer: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Tuesday, firmly stated that Pakistan would not compromise on its nuclear programme despite sanctions imposed by the United States over concerns regarding Islamabad’s strategic capabilities.
Addressing a federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad, the Prime Minister remarked, “There is no justification for the sanctions imposed on us, there will be no compromise on Pakistan’s nuclear programme.”
His statement follows the US administration’s decision last week to impose additional sanctions under Executive Order (EO) 13382, targeting four entities involved in Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme.
The Foreign Office (FO) expressed strong disapproval of the sanctions, terming them “biased” and warning of their potential to destabilize the region. US Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer had earlier alleged that Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile capabilities raised questions about its intentions, remarks that the FO found “perplexing and illogical.”
FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, in a statement to Geo News, reiterated that the sanctions were unwarranted and harmful to bilateral relations.
