In a response to media queries regarding the development on Saturday, the Foreign Office said: “Similar listings of commercial entities in the past were based on mere suspicion; involved items not listed under any export control regime and yet were considered sensitive under broad, catch-all provisions.”

On Thursday, the US State Department imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies it said have been involved in supplying Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme.

Washington similarly targeted three China-based companies with sanctions in October 2023 for supplying missile-applicable items to Pakistan.

Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that the Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry had worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems.

Pakistan test fired Shaheen-III surface-to-surface ballistic missile in January 2021. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear and conventional warheads to a range of 2,750 kilometres, according to the military’s media wing.

The FO claimed that some countries, while claiming strict adherence to nonproliferation norms, have conveniently waived licencing requirements for advanced military technologies to their favoured states.

“Such double standards and discriminatory practices undermine the credibility of global nonproliferation regimes, increase military asymmetries, and endanger international peace and security,” it said.

In April, the US Department of State announced sanctions against four entities for their alleged involvement in supplying materials and equipment to Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, including its long-range missile capabilities.