Pakistan is developing a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could reach the United States, according to a report published in Washington.
According to the report by ‘Foreign Affairs’, if Pakistan does make or acquire such a weapon, the country would be viewed as a nuclear adversary by the US.
The report comes amid buzz that Islamabad was looking to upgrade its nuclear arsenal with support from China after India launched Operation Sindoor last month.
Any nation that has nuclear weapons and is considered a potential threat or opponent of the US is termed by Washington as a nuclear adversary. Russia, China and North Korea make up the current list as of now, but according to officials quoted in the report, Pakistan may also find a place in the list if it gets that weapon.
“If Pakistan acquires an ICBM, Washington will have no choice but to treat the country as a nuclear adversary. No other country with ICBMs that can target the United States is considered a friend,” the report quoted US officials as saying.
The official position of Pakistan has always been that its nuclear programme was strictly focused on deterring India, developing short- and medium-range missiles.
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), which can be armed with both nuclear and conventional warheads, are capable of hitting targets over 5,500 km, and Islamabad currently doesn’t have any ICBMs in its arsenal.
It had tested the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Shaheen-III in 2022. The missile has a range of over 2,700 km and brings a number of Indian cities within its range.
The reason Pakistan might be developing an ICBM to target the US
Pakistan might have started developing an ICBM to try and deter the US from trying to eliminate its nuclear arsenal in case of a preventive attack. It might have gotten even more motivation after Washington’s strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran.
The missile might also prevent the US from intervening on India’s behalf if the neighbouring countries clash again.
The US is viewing the development with a lot of concern. It had imposed fresh sanctions related to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic-missile program last year.
The sanctions were slapped on the National Development Complex, the state-owned defence agency overseeing the missile program, and three other firms. Any US property belonging to the four entities was frozen, and American firms were barred from doing business with them. Islamabad had called the move ‘biased’.
Neither India nor Pakistan is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty is aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
