Pakistan's Bold Bid: A US-Led Port in Pasni to Challenge Gwadar and Unlock Balochistan's Mineral Riches
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in a geopolitical chess move that could reshape the Arabian Sea's power dynamics, Pakistan's military leadership has quietly pitched a $1.2 billion plan to U.S. officials: a gleaming new commercial port in the dusty fishing town of Pasni, Balochistan, designed to funnel critical minerals like copper, antimony, and lithium straight to American markets. Dubbed the "Pasni Plan" in hushed Washington corridors, the proposal positions the U.S. as the lead investor and operator, complete with a high-speed rail link snaking through insurgency-scarred mountains to the legendary Reko Diq mine. It's a direct economic jab at China's sprawling Gwadar port just 70 miles away – and a lifeline for Pakistan's cash-strapped economy.
The blueprint, first leaked to the Financial Times, emerged from the shadows of last month's high-stakes White House meeting between Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and President Donald Trump. There, amid Oval Office photo-ops and discussions on mining investments, Sharif reportedly dangled opportunities in agriculture, tech, and energy to lure U.S. dollars. But the real hook? A modest shipment of under two tonnes of Pakistan's prized minerals – including copper, antimony, and neodymium – that arrived stateside in late September, courtesy of Missouri-based US Strategic Metals (USSM). "We aspire to set up a refinery," USSM's commercial director Mike Hollomon told the FT, hinting at talks with port directors in Karachi and Gwadar, and whispers of a Pasni project.At its core, the Pasni proposal is less about warships and more about wallets. The port – nestled in Balochistan's Gwadar District, a stone's throw from the Iranian border and Afghan frontier – would exclude any "direct basing" for U.S. military assets, emphasizing civilian trade instead. Funding would blend Pakistani federal coffers with American development finance, channeling up to $1.2 billion into dredging deep-water channels, building terminals, and laying tracks to Reko Diq, where Canadian giant Barrick Gold is unearthing a copper-gold bonanza worth billions. Antimony, a key ingredient in missiles, batteries, and fire-retardants, has skyrocketed in price since Beijing's export ban to the U.S. last year, making Pakistan's untapped reserves – estimated to contribute just 3% to GDP now but ripe for explosion – a tantalizing prize. Strategically, Pasni is a powder keg of potential. "Its proximity to Iran and Central Asia enhances U.S. options for trade and security and would counterbalance Gwadar while expanding influence in the Arabian Sea," the blueprint boasts, per the FT. For Islamabad, it's a hedge against over-reliance on China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has poured billions into Gwadar but left locals grumbling over jobs and debt traps. Critics on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, are already crying foul. "When China asked for a naval base in Gwadar, Pakistani generals kept stalling... To turn around and offer Americans a base there is a massive betrayal," tweeted journalist Waqas (@worqas echoing fears of a great power squeeze. Another post from Mirza Shahzad Akbar @ShazadAkbar quipped that the Oval Office snap "had a lot more behind it than met the eye," accusing the military of "selling strategic relevance" to top up dollar coffers. U.S. officials, however, are playing it cool. A senior Trump administration source confirmed to the FT that no formal discussions took place during the September 26 summit, where Munir even brandished a wooden box of "rare earth minerals" for dramatic effect. The State Department and White House have stonewalled comment requests, while Pakistan's Foreign Ministry and Army remain tight-lipped. Yet, the buzz is undeniable: USSM's Hollomon admitted hearing "talk of a possible port project near Pasni" during a recent visit. And in Balochistan, where insurgencies have long choked development, experts like Hussain Abidi of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research see it as "a reset with America through economic ties rather than just traditional security ties."As global powers scramble for critical minerals amid the green energy boom and U.S.-China tensions, Pasni could emerge as more than a sleepy port – a fulcrum for alliances. For Pakistan, success means jobs, infrastructure, and a diversified escape from Beijing's shadow. Failure? It risks alienating a key ally while stoking local separatist fires in resource-rich but restive Balochistan. With Trump's deal-making instincts in play, the next move could echo far beyond the Arabian Sea.
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