Saturday, March 29, 2025
Washington, Oct 4, 2025 – In a fresh bid to deepen its ties with Washington, Pakistan has proposed the construction of a civilian port in the Arabian Sea, offering the United States access to its critical mineral resources in Balochistan.
According to a Financial Times report, the proposed project involves building and operating a port terminal in Pasni, a coastal city in Gwadar district, strategically located near the Iranian border and Afghanistan. The plan is seen as a counterbalance to India’s investment in Iran’s Chabahar Port, situated just across the border.
Sources confirmed that Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir’s advisors have already engaged in talks with senior U.S. officials regarding the $1.2 billion project. The proposal not only seeks American investment but also aims to link the Pasni terminal with a new rail corridor to connect western Pakistan’s mineral-rich provinces.
During their recent meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Munir reportedly presented a symbolic gift box of rare minerals. The gesture sparked political debate back home, with lawmakers questioning Munir’s authority to present such state resources to Trump. A photo of the mineral gift went viral on social media, fueling further controversy.
President Trump, however, praised Pakistan’s leadership during the talks, while Sharif invited U.S. companies to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s mining and energy sectors.
In a parallel development, an American metals corporation has already signed a $500 million joint venture agreement with Pakistan. The deal will focus on extracting strategic minerals for use in defense and advanced technology industries.
Importantly, the proposal specifies that the Pasni port would be restricted to civilian and commercial purposes, explicitly ruling out U.S. military usage. Instead, Islamabad is seeking American funding for infrastructure to integrate the terminal with resource corridors across Balochistan.
Analysts suggest that the initiative reflects Pakistan’s urgency to secure new global partnerships following setbacks in Operation Sindoor against India and the mounting need for economic revival.
