Pakistan has strongly dismissed claims from U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard that the country’s missile program poses a threat to the United States, calling the statement “unfounded” and “misleading”, according to Dawn News
Addressing reporters in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said the nation “categorically rejects” the allegation made during Gabbard’s presentation of the 2026 U.S. Annual Threat Assessment before the Senate Intelligence Committee.
“Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are purely defensive,” Andrabi said. “Our missile program, which is limited to well below intercontinental range, is designed to preserve national sovereignty and regional stability, not to threaten any state.”
He emphasized that Pakistan’s nuclear posture is based on the policy of “credible minimum deterrence” aimed at maintaining balance with neighboring India, not projecting power globally.
Andrabi contrasted Pakistan’s position with India’s development of long-range missiles reaching up to 12,000 kilometers, describing that capability as a concern that “extends beyond regional security” and warrants international attention.
“Pakistan remains committed to constructive engagement with the United States, grounded in mutual respect and factual accuracy,” he added. “We urge a measured, informed approach that supports peace, stability, and security across South Asia.”
Earlier the same day, former caretaker foreign minister Jalil Abbas Jilani also rejected the U.S. claim. In a post on X, Jilani stated that suggestions of Pakistan having missiles capable of striking the U.S. homeland were “not grounded in strategic reality.” He reiterated that Pakistan’s nuclear and missile doctrines are “India-specific,” emphasizing their role in deterrence rather than aggression.
Gabbard, in her testimony before U.S. lawmakers, named Pakistan alongside Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea as countries expanding missile systems “that could put our homeland within range.” She claimed Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile development “potentially could include” intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
U.S. intelligence officials further warned that global missile threats could expand fivefold, rising from roughly 3,000 to 16,000 by 2035.
Analysts in Islamabad view Pakistan’s inclusion in the U.S. threat report as part of a continuing trend in Washington’s defense posture. Similar claims about Pakistan’s missile ambitions surfaced in late 2024, followed by U.S. sanctions against several entities accused of supporting Pakistan’s ballistic missile program.
For now, Pakistan insists its missile arsenal is a stabilizing force, not a global menace. As Andrabi put it, “Our goal is regional peace, not confrontation.”
