By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office categorically rejected claims by the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, suggesting that Pakistan’s missile capabilities posed a potential threat to the United States.
The statement came as Islamabad sought to clarify its position and reassure the international community of its defensive posture. FO Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters that Pakistan’s strategic capabilities were strictly defensive, designed to safeguard national sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in South Asia.
“Our missile program is firmly rooted in the doctrine of credible minimum deterrence vis-à-vis India,” FO Spokesperson Andrabi said, stressing that Pakistan’s missiles remained well below intercontinental range. The remarks followed Gabbard’s presentation of the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
In her testimony, she identified Pakistan among countries posing a growing strategic concern, warning that Islamabad’s evolving long-range missile systems could eventually bring the American homeland within reach. She also named Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea as nations developing new missile delivery systems, both nuclear and conventional, capable of reaching US territory. He described Gabbard’s claims regarding Pakistan’s potential intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development as inaccurate.
Andrabi contrasted Islamabad’s approach with India’s missile program, noting that India had developed systems with ranges exceeding 12,000 kilometers, a trajectory he said extended beyond regional security concerns and posed broader challenges to neighboring countries. The spokesperson added that Pakistan remained committed to constructive engagement with the United States, grounded in mutual respect, non-discrimination, and factual accuracy.
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