Missiles in focus

2026-03-20 - 00:01

IT is pinching but not surprising that the United States has listed Pakistan among states that pose a significant threat to the United States, warning US lawmakers that Islamabad’s evolving missile capabilities could potentially put the American homeland within range. Presenting the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the United States Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said “Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our Homeland within range.” She added “Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with the range capable of striking the Homeland”. The listing becomes understandable if viewed in the context of the US policy vis-à-vis Pakistan’s nuclear programme that remained the focus of a vicious propaganda campaign for decades. Pakistan faced and continues to face discriminatory treatment as far as its nuclear programme is concerned despite the fact that it was purely India-specific and the history confirmed this dimension of the nuclear capability as it served as an effective deterrence against imperialist designs of India. No one can dispute that Pakistan was forced to go nuclear after India detonated its nuclear device twice and started hurling threats on Pakistan. The rationale for the nuclear programme and intentions of the country were adequately explained on numerous occasions when Islamabad offered tangible proposals aimed at declaring South Asia a nuclear weapon free zone but these could not materialize because of negative response from New Delhi. As for missile technology, together with drones, this has assumed greater significance as it allows inflicting harm on the enemy without risking human lives as in the case of ground assaults. Missile development has, therefore, become an essential, rather dominant, component of the defence strategy of nations and Pakistan is no exception. However, like the nuclear programme, the missile programme of Pakistan is also India-specific and the country has no intention of producing missiles beyond the required range. The listing is regrettable as it means that the United States views Pakistan as an adversary and not a trusted ally or friend. A strategist has rightly pointed out that such assessments undermine the budding Pak-US relationship.