A crucial component of Pakistan's national defense policy and strategic balance is its nuclear program against regional adversaries, specifically India. However, it is under international sanctions, especially from the United States (US), because of concerns about nuclear proliferation, the security of its arsenal, and the implications for regional and global stability. Pakistan faces a major challenge in juggling these international pressures with both diplomacy and national security.

Pakistan started its nuclear adventure and carried out its first nuclear tests by 1998, which spurred the country to develop its deterrent capability following India's 1974 nuclear test. Yet sadly, despite realising the importance of regional peace, security, and strategic stability in the region, the Western powers have been watching with skepticism the development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program; particularly, the United States has been critical of advancing Pakistan’s strategic capabilities.

The US consistently made reservations over Pakistan’s nuclear program, particularly since the early 2000s when the proliferation operations of the A.Q. Khan networks were made public. Although Pakistan has made efforts to strengthen export controls and dismantle this network, the legacy of these incidents still influences United States policy. The United States has pressured Pakistan to sign both the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, but it is resisting because of its regional security dynamics.

In an attempt to stop the development and spread of Pakistan's ballistic missile program, the United States recently announced several sanctions on December 19, 2024. Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer feared that Pakistan's long-range missile capabilities could enable it to strike targets beyond South Asia, including the US. Finer called this progression an “emerging threat” to the US. The US government imposed........

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