US export curbs on Pakistani firms termed biased, politically motivated

Business
Islamabad criticises US export restrictions
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - Pakistan’s foreign office on Thursday criticised the recent United States export restrictions on Pakistani companies, arguing they unfairly targeted the country’s commercial entities without any evidence.
The US Department of Commerce imposed export restrictions this week on 70 companies from Pakistan, Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa, saying their “activities were contrary to US national security and foreign policy.”
According to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the list includes 42 firms from China, 19 from Pakistan, four from the United Arab Emirates, three from South Africa and two from Iran.
Due to these restrictions, US suppliers will be prohibited from sending goods to the sanctioned entities without obtaining a special license.
“The recent imposition of export restrictions by the United States unfairly targets Pakistan’s commercial entities without any evidence whatsoever,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters during his weekly media briefing in Islamabad.
“Such biased and politically motivated actions are counterproductive to the objectives of global export controls and obstruct the legitimate access to technology for socio-economic development,” he added.