WASHINGTON: One Pakistani company is among 12 foreign firms that were added on Monday to a US list of entities subject to specific licence requirements for alleged trading in controlled items.

Such restrictions aim at “ensuring that sensitive technologies do not fall into the hands of those who would threaten US national security or American citizens,” the US Department of Commerce announced on Monday.

The Pakistani company’s name and its location were not disclosed.

“In total, the additions include four entities with locations in both China and Hong Kong, and a further two Chinese, one Pakistani, and five Emirati persons,” the announcement added.

The department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said the list contains the names of foreign parties that are subject to specific licence requirements for the export, re-export, and/or in-country transfer of controlled items.

The Pakistani company is included on the update for allegedly “procuring controlled technology on behalf of that country’s unsafeguarded nuclear activities”, the official US statement said.

The statement did not reveal the names of the companies added to the list but said that organisations or persons who violate these restrictions would face criminal penalties and administrative sanctions.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the Trump Administration would vigorously defend against any action which could harm American citizens or the country’s security. The US was putting individuals, businesses, and organisations across the world on notice that they would be held accountable for supporting Iran’s alleged WMD activities and other illicit schemes.

Four Emirati persons are included for obtaining US-origin items for an existing entity list member without a licence and for a denied party, Mahan Air, which is currently subject to a temporary denial order.

Another person in the UAE refused to support a BIS end-use check, which is cause for admission to the entity list.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2019