The Foreign Office has rejected the allegations of a senior US official against Pakistan’s ballistic missile programme, saying that such statements affect relations with a non-NATO ally.

“The alleged threat perception from Pakistan’s missile capabilities and delivery means, raised by the US official are unfortunate,” the FO spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday. “These allegations are unfounded, devoid of rationality and sense of history.”

It was issued in response to media queries over a senior White House official claims that Pakistan was developing long-range ballistic missile capabilities that eventually could allow it to strike targets outside of South Asia, including in the United States.

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

The FO highlighted that both countries have enjoyed a “positive and broad-ranging relationship” since 1954.

“The recent spate of US allegations towards a major non-NATO ally would be unhelpful for the overall relationship, especially in the absence of any evidence in this regard. Pakistan has never had any ill-intention towards the US in any form or manner, and this fundamental reality has not changed,” the statement said.

The FO reminded the US that Pakistan has made “monumental sacrifices” for this relationship and continues to “suffer hugely” in sustaining the onslaught of the aftermath of US policies in the region.

It lamented that the White House official alluded to bracketing Pakistan with those who are perceived to be in an adversarial relationship with the US while ignoring the manifestations of a much more potent missile capability in the country’s eastern neighbourhood. “Concerns on Pakistani capabilities are being raised seemingly at the behest of others to further accentuate the already fragile strategic stability in the region.”

The FO reiterated that Pakistan’s capabilities are meant to defend its sovereignty and preserve peace and stability in South Asia. It was mentioned that the South Asian country cannot abdicate its right to develop capabilities that commensurate with the need to maintain credible minimum deterrence as well as evolving and dynamic threats.

“Since 2012 when the US officials started broaching the subject, different Pakistani governments, leadership and officials, have endeavoured from time to time, to positively address and remove the misplaced US concerns.”

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Moreover, Pakistan stated that the strategic programme and allied capabilities were meant to deter and thwart an “existential threat from our neighbourhood and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.” The FO described the assumption of hostile intent from Pakistan by any other country including the US as “perplexing as well as illogical”.

Given the importance of strategic programmes for the people and national defence, it said that any attempt to interfere with it—under any circumstances—is “neither thinkable nor possible”.

The statement added that there was “unshakeable resolve and complete consensus” on this matter throughout the country’s political and social landscape.

“Pakistan has always sought to engage constructively with the US on all issues, including the need to pursue a balanced approach to security and stability in our region. We have a long history of cooperation and wish to build on this strong legacy.”