Islamabad: Pakistan on March 31 expressed disappointment over the US decision to impose sanctions against its main nuclear laboratory, but said it would not have any impact on performance of the facility.

Answering a volley of questions on the imposition of sanctions against Pakistan's premier nuclear laboratory A Q Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) in Kahuta, Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz A Khan said, "Pakistan has already expressed its disappointment over the US decision."

He termed it a restriction on a company and not on Pakistan, adding these would not have any impact on the performance.

Khan said the sanctions were on a commercial entity, and similar sanctions by the US have been placed on many other commercial organisations across the world.

About public demand for withdrawal of military facilities extended to the United States during the Afghanistan crisis, Khan said the facilities were only for rescue operations.

The US imposed economic sanctions on KRL for buying Nodong medium range missiles from North Korea.

Sanctions have also been imposed on a North Korean firm that reportedly delivered the Nodong missiles.

The move was aimed at squeezing North Korea and the buyers of its military hardware as well as warning Pakistan.

The Khan Institute is home to Pakistan's nuclear programme, but is technically separate from the government.

PTI