Pakistan's bid to enter NSG suffers big blow as US sanctions seven Pak firms for ‘nuclear trade’

Pakistan's bid to enter the elite Nuclear Supplier's group suffered a big jolt as the Trump administration added seven of its firms to a list of entities that pose a significant threat to the United States by indulging in nuclear trade.

According to a report in Dawn.com, the US Bureau of Industry and Security “reasonably” believes all companies “to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States”.

The seven firms were among a total of 23 entities added to the list, which also includes companies from South Sudan and Singapore. These companies now face restrictions on their exports and international trade.

According to Dawn.com, three of the Pakistani companies have been added to the list for “their involvement in the proliferation of unsafeguarded nuclear activities that are contrary to the national security and/or foreign policy interests of the United States”.

Two have been accused of sourcing material for companies already on the list, while the rest are allegedly fronts for such nuclear-related entities.