THIS is with reference to the article ‘Why flash the bat at every ball?’ (Dec 22). Contrary to the conclusions drawn in the write-up, the perception here in the United States is that the latest sanctions against Pakistan’s rocket and missile programmes are strictly for the benefit of Israel. For a long time now, Pakistan has maintained a nuclear capability and also the missiles to deliver them anywhere in India. That cannot be an issue at this point in time. More recently, with the Shaheen-III missile, this capability to deliver the nukes has extended to Israel.

According to the US media, President Joe Biden himself is left with no impaired ability to play an active role in ‘executive’ decision-making. The media has also reported that Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer’s boss, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, considers Israel a liability upon the US. Biden’s key cabinet member, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, is the most powerful American policymaker. He and Finer are both pro-Israel hawks who reportedly care less about the US or Indian interests, and reserve their love solely for Israel.

During his October 2023 visit to Israel to show solidarity with the Zionist state, Blinken had gone the extra mile to express support. Addressing Benjamin Netanyahu, he said: “You may be strong enough on your own to defend yourself. But as long as America exists, you will never ever have to. We will always be there by your side.” With that background, the news media in the US and Israel is narrating the current sanctions against Pakistan as having been designed to prevent Pakistani missiles from reaching Israel.

With US sanctions in place, Pakistan will be severely challenged in procuring the parts and, more importantly, the metals that are used to make specialty steel alloys needed for rocket and missile motors, or, simply put, more Shaheen-IIIs. Such metals include niobium, a most favoured metallurgical ingredient. Alloys made with such metals have a low mass density and yet have high integrity, allow temperatures above 2500 plus degree Celsius in rocket motors, and handle the very high pressures that are present in missile systems.

Since the use of global positioning system (GPS) for guidance goes against Pakistan, the Pakistani missiles are forced to use the inertial navigation system (INS).

The INS requires gyroscopes made with specialty alloys, which again is subject to the latest sanctions. Pakistan has no domestic availability of these materials or parts. The new sanctions are designed to keep it that way quite intentionally.

Syed Shams Naqvi
Lafayette, USA

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2025