US Blacklists Seven Pakistani Firms for ‘Nuclear Trade’

Pakistan’s relations with the United States of America continue to strain as the US has imposed sanctions on seven Pakistani companies. The move will further hamper Pakistan’s chances of joining Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) – a group of countries that can trade nuclear technologies & fissile materials.

US Bureau of Industry and Security unveiled a list in which seven companies from Pakistan were blacklisted and sanctioned.

Overall, 23 companies were put on the list out of which 15 are from South Sudan, 7 from Pakistan and 1 from Singapore. The company based in Singapore is also Pakistani.

The companies will face increased scrutiny over trades with the US, which will affect their international business as well.


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The companies were placed on what is called an “Entity List”. Other companies will require a special license to do business with the listed companies in the USA. Furthermore, no license exceptions will be given to deal with the enlisted companies for exports, reexports, or transfers.

The Entity List

Following companies were put on the list based on the level of “threat” they pose to the United States’ national security and its interests worldwide.

Muskho Electronics along with the Singapore-based Mushko Logistics was placed on the list because it “procured items for several Pakistani entities on the Entity List”.


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Engineering and Commercial Services (ECS) was put on the list for its involvement “in supplying a Pakistani nuclear-related entity on the Entity List”.

Solutions Engineering is on the list because it “has been involved in the procurement of US-origin items on behalf of nuclear-related entities in Pakistan that are already listed on the Entity List”.

Marine Systems is on the list because it was found doing business with already-sanctioned companies that were already working without a license.

Akhtar & Munir, Proficient Engineers and Pervaiz Commercial Trading Co are on the list due to 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”.

Pakistan applied for the membership of NSG in 2016. China and Turkey support Pakistan’s inclusion to the list. The membership requires a consensus among the members of the NSG already present in the group. India was not “happy” with China over its support for Pakistan. The decision about Pakistan’s addition to the group hasn’t been finalized yet.

This move will definitely damage Pakistan’s chances to join NSG.



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