Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States and ex-foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani has firmly rejected remarks by Tulsi Gabbard, describing her claim that the United States falls within the range of Pakistani nuclear missiles as “not based on facts.”
Responding to the statement, Jilani clarified that Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine is explicitly India-centric, structured around deterrence against its eastern neighbor rather than any global power projection. He emphasized that Islamabad’s strategic posture remains defensive and regionally confined.
According to Jilani, Pakistan neither possesses nor pursues intercontinental strike capabilities aimed at distant targets such as the United States, reinforcing that its nuclear policy is rooted in maintaining strategic balance in South Asia.
Turkish analyst Sadiquddin also questioned the assertion, noting that Pakistan does not have operational intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the US. He contrasted this with India’s evolving long-range missile capabilities, arguing that selective threat characterization raises concerns about the objectivity of such assessments.
He suggested that portraying Pakistan as a long-range strategic threat reflects either a misreading of capabilities or a narrative shaped by political considerations rather than technical realities.
Security Concerns and Regional Friction
The controversy comes alongside the latest annual assessment by the U.S. National Intelligence, which highlights rising tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, as well as an increase in cross-border militancy.
The report notes that Pakistan has stepped up operations targeting militant groups allegedly operating from Afghan territory, describing these actions as responses to attacks on its military positions. It also underscores that long-term regional stability depends on the Taliban severing ties with groups involved in anti-Pakistan activities.
Analysts believe that, taken together, heightened rhetoric around strategic capabilities and ongoing security challenges risk adding further strain to an already volatile regional environment.
Pakistan, however, continues to maintain that its nuclear policy is based on credible minimum deterrence, focused on regional stability rather than global reach, while urging a more accurate understanding of its strategic posture.
