Former Pakistani Ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, has dismissed the impact of US sanctions on Pakistan, saying they will have “zero effect.”
Speaking on a private news channel, Lodhi explained that US sanctions are not new to Pakistan. She pointed out that the US has imposed sanctions since Pakistan started its nuclear program, but they haven’t had any real impact.
Lodhi criticized what she called the US’s double standard, noting that India, with a more advanced missile program, has not faced similar sanctions. She reiterated that these sanctions would not affect Pakistan.
She also mentioned that Pakistan is no longer a priority in US foreign policy, especially after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to Lodhi, US-Pakistan relations have been strained ever since, with the Trump administration focusing more on China.
On the topic of Pakistan’s nuclear program, Lodhi said that no Pakistani would support the US's discriminatory stance and called for national unity on such issues.
A senior US official recently raised concerns about Pakistan's long-range missile development, suggesting it could eventually threaten targets outside South Asia, including the US. The White House announced additional sanctions on Pakistan’s ballistic missile program, targeting four entities involved in missile development. A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the US has long opposed Pakistan’s long-range missile efforts.