Recent reports reveal Pakistan proposed a plan to the US for developing a commercial port in Pasni, a coastal town in Balochistan near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Valued at $1.2 billion, the project aims to export critical minerals like copper and antimony, supported by both Pakistani and American funding. The plan was informally discussed with US officials and Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, before his Washington meetings. Pasni’s location, close to China-backed Gwadar Port and near Iran, makes it geopolitically sensitive. Following a minerals agreement with a US firm, Pakistan later called the talks exploratory, likely to ease China’s concerns over its large investments in the region.
