WASHINGTON: A senior White House official on Thursday said Pakistan is developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets outside of South Asia, including in the United States.

Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said Islamabad’s conduct raised “real questions” about the aims of its ballistic missile program.

“Candidly, it’s hard for us to see Pakistan’s actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States,” Finer told the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace audience.

“Pakistan has developed increasingly sophisticated missile technology, from long-range ballistic missile systems to equipment that would enable the testing of significantly larger rocket motors,” he said.

If those trends continue, Finer said, “Pakistan will have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States.”

His speech came a day after Washington announced a new round of sanctions related to Pakistan’s ballistic missile development program, including on the state-run defense agency that oversees the program.

A State Department factsheet said the Islamabad-based NDC has sought to obtain components for the country’s long-range ballistic missile program and missile-testing equipment.

The other entities slapped with sanctions were Affiliates International, Akhtar and Sons Private Limited and Rockside Enterprise, all located in Karachi, the factsheet said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has termed the US decision to impose sanctions on NDC and three commercial entities as “unfortunate and biased” saying it defied the objective of peace and security.

Read more: Pakistan terms US sanctions on missile programme as ‘biased’

“Pakistan considers the US decision to impose sanctions on NDC and three commercial entities as unfortunate and biased,” according to a Foreign Office statement.

“Pakistan’s strategic capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia. The latest installment of sanctions defies the objective of peace and security by aiming to accentuate military asymmetries. Such policies have dangerous implications for strategic stability of our region and beyond,” the Foreign Office statement said.