US Puts Pak Firms On Trade Blacklist For Their Involvement In Missile & Nuclear Activities

An unspecified number of Pakistani companies have been added to a list of 14 entities placed on a US trade blacklist for their alleged involvement in missile and nuclear activities, according to media reports.

According to Dawn, the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has added 37 entities to its Entity List (blacklist) for allegedly contributing to Russia's military defence industrial base, supporting China's military modernisation and facilitating or engaging in human rights violations in Myanmar and China.

A category titled "Ballistic Missile and Ununsafeguardeduclear Activities" is included on the list.

"Fourteen entities based in China and Pakistan are being added to the Entity List for contributing to ballistic missile programmes of concern, including Pakistan's missile programme, and for involvement in unsafeguarded nuclear activities," according to the statement.

"We act to oppose military aggression in the case of Russia and China's military modernization, and to protect and advance human rights," US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves said in a statement released alongside the list, Dawn reported.

"The United States will not allow peaceful trade to be diverted in ways that undermine our values and weaken our security. That is precisely what we are saying today, "Alan F Estevez, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, has been added.

Three entities from Russia, Belarus and Taiwan were added to the list on Thursday for allegedly significantly contributing to Russia's military and/or defence industrial base.

According to Dawn, eighteen Chinese entities were added to the list for acquiring and attempting to acquire US-origin items in support of China's military modernization efforts, as well as supplying or attempting to supply a sanctioned entity in Iran.

Six entities from China and Myanmar were added for human rights violations.

According to the statement, Chinese entities had engaged in the collection and analysis of genetic data, which posed a significant risk of contributing to the Chinese government's monitoring and surveillance, including the targeting, detention and repression of ethnic minorities in China, as well as the diversion of such information to Chinese military programmes, Dawn reported.