Former Envoy Lodhi Rejects US Sanctions Impact

Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States, has stated that recent US sanctions targeting Pakistan's ballistic missile program will have 'zero effect' on the country's missile capabilities. Lodhi emphasized that these sanctions are not new and have been consistently imposed since Pakistan's nuclear ambitions began, contrasting this with the lack of similar sanctions on India, whose missile program is more advanced. She criticized the US for its discriminatory treatment of Pakistan, noting that such sanctions do not impact the nation's nuclear or missile policies. Furthermore, she remarked that Pakistan's standing in US foreign policy has diminished, particularly since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Trump administration's focus shift to China. Additionally, Lodhi highlighted the importance of national unity regarding Pakistan's nuclear discourse and rejected political point-scoring around it. The US State Department confirmed the sanctions were aimed at entities involved in proliferation activities, as Pakistan continues to develop long-range missile capabilities.