WASHINGTON - The US government has announced sanctions against seven Pakistani entities allegedly associated with the country’s missile programme, according to an official notification.

US Department of Commerce issued a notification in this regard putting seven entities in Export Administration Regulations (EAR) list.

All seven have been placed on the entity list under the destination of Pakistan.

The details of the entities are as follows:

(1) Ahad International

Suite #5-6, 2nd Floor, Empress Tower, Empress Road, Lahore-54000, Pakistan; and 11-12-13, 2nd Floor, Nomro Center, Badami Bagh, Lahore, Pakistan.

(2) Air Weapons Complex (AWC)

AWC: E-5, Officers Colony, Wah Cantt, Punjab, Pakistan;

(3) Engineering Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

726, G-11/2. Ibne-Sina Road, Islamabad, Pakistan;

(4) Maritime Technology Complex (MTC)

MTC: Plot 94, Karachi, Pakistan; and

MTC: System Division, PN Dockyard, Karachi, Pakistan;

(5) National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM)

NESCOM Head Quarter, Plot #94, Sector H-11/4, Islamabad, Pakistan;

(6) New Auto Engineering (NAE)

NAE: 72, Industrial Area, Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan; and

(7) Universal Tooling Services, a.k.a., the following three aliases:

—Forward Design and Manufacturing;

—MSM Enterprises; and

—Technopak Engineering.

Deen Plaza, 68/62, Adamjee Road, Saddar P.O. Box 1640, GPO Rawalpindi, Pakistan; and G-7, Nimra Centre 7, Badami Bagh, Lahore, Pakistan; and 31/B Faisal Town, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan; and Model Town, HMC Road, Taxila, Pakistan.

Pakistan has already refuted the allegation regarding any wrongdoing related to its nuclear or missile programme.

The notification suggests that the sanctions were imposed owing to the articulable facts that the entities are determined to be involved in activities that are contrary to the national security of the United States.

US Department of Commerce asserted that the imposition of sanctions would help prevent the violation of Export Administration Regulations (EAR) rules.

The placement on the list imposes a licence requirement for all items subject to the EAR and a licence review policy of presumption of denial.

The licence requirements apply to any transaction in which items are to be exported, re-exported, or transferred (in-country) to any of the entities or in which such entities act as purchaser, intermediate consignee, ultimate consignee, or end-user thus putting hurdle in free operation of such entities.

Although the sanctions have been imposed but it has not been ascertained as to how the entities violated the codes of EAR.