Post by : Sameer Farouq

Pakistan’s Gambit: Offering a Strategic Port to the US

In a significant move that signals a potential shift in regional alignments, Pakistan has reportedly approached US officials with a proposal for American investors to develop and operate a new deep-sea port on the Arabian Sea. The target location is Pasni, a small fishing town in the sensitive Balochistan province, situated strategically close to both Iran and the massive, China-funded port at Gwadar.

Advisers to Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, are said to have floated the idea as part of a broader strategy to re-engage with the United States and diversify Pakistan’s economic and strategic partners. The plan, which has been presented to certain US administration officials, carries an estimated cost of around $1.2 billion.

The Pasni Proposal: A Critical Minerals Gateway

The core of the Pasni port proposal is economic, not military. The plan envisions transforming Pasni into a vital hub for accessing and exporting Pakistan's vast reserves of critical minerals, such as copper and antimony. These resources are increasingly valuable globally, used in everything from electric vehicle batteries to advanced missile systems.

The port blueprint includes:

• Commercial Focus: The proposal explicitly excludes "direct basing," meaning the facility is intended purely as a trade terminal, not a US military installation.

• Infrastructure Link: The port would be connected by a new railway network designed to transport minerals from inland mines, including the major Reko Diq copper and gold project being developed by Canada’s Barrick Mining.

• Financing Mix: Funding is proposed to come from a combination of Pakistani federal resources and development finance backed by the US.

The pitch suggests that this project would enhance US options for trade and security in the region while offering Washington a counterweight to China’s burgeoning influence.

Balancing the Dragon and the Eagle

This unexpected overture to Washington is viewed as a calculated step by Islamabad to reduce its over-reliance on Beijing and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). While CPEC remains a massive infrastructure initiative, Pakistan's relationship with China has faced challenges related to security, debt, and the slow pace of certain projects, including the lack of substantial commercial activity at the flagship Gwadar port.

Pasni, located just 70 miles away from Gwadar, is positioned to serve as a direct competitor. By offering the US a commercial foothold in the same strategic maritime space, Pakistan is attempting a critical geopolitical balancing act: attracting much-needed foreign investment to stabilize its economy while strategically diversifying its options between the world’s two largest powers. The move is also part of a larger push to strengthen ties with the Trump administration following recent high-level meetings between Pakistani officials and US President Donald Trump.

Early Interest and the Road Ahead

The proposal has already garnered attention from the American private sector. Missouri-based U.S. Strategic Metals (USSM) has reportedly shown early interest, signing a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan’s military engineering arm to explore collaboration on refining facilities and mineral processing.

Pakistani officials see this as a chance to fundamentally reset relations with the US through mutually beneficial economic cooperation, a departure from the security-centric focus of past decades. Whether the ambitious Pasni port project moves from blueprint to reality will be a key indicator of Pakistan’s ability to navigate the complex geopolitical currents of the Arabian Sea.

Disclaimer This article is based on international media reports, primarily from the Financial Times, citing sources close to the Pakistani military. Policy claims, specific investment amounts, and the official stance of the US government have not been independently verified by this publication and should be viewed as preliminary proposals.

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