Pakistan Offers US Deal To Build Port In Pasni, Near India’s Chabahar

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Pakistan Offers US Deal To Build Port In Pasni, Near India's Chabahar

In a significant geopolitical move aimed at resetting ties with Washington, Pakistan has reportedly offered the United States a deal to build and operate a civilian port on the Arabian Sea. According to a report in the Financial Times, the proposed port would be located in Pasni, Balochistan, strategically placing it just 300 km from the Chabahar port being developed by India in Iran.The unsolicited offer, valued at up to $1.2 billion, was reportedly made by advisers to Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to top US officials.

The blueprint suggests the US would build and operate a terminal at the port, primarily to gain access to Pakistan’s vast and largely untapped critical mineral resources in the restive Balochistan province. The proposal explicitly rules out any military use or the establishment of a US base, instead suggesting US financing for a rail network connecting the port to mineral-rich regions.This move is the latest in Pakistan’s charm offensive targeting the Trump administration. It follows a high-profile visit to the White House in September by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Munir.

During that visit, Munir was famously photographed presenting President Trump with a box of rare earth minerals, a gesture now seen as a precursor to this larger strategic offer. The visit also coincided with a US metals company signing a $500 million deal to explore strategic minerals in Pakistan.The proposal creates a complex geopolitical dynamic for Pakistan, which already hosts the China-funded and operated Gwadar port just 100 km from Pasni.

Offering a port to the US in such close proximity to a key Chinese Belt and Road Initiative project signals a delicate balancing act by Islamabad as it seeks to court American investment and influence without alienating its “all-weather” ally, Beijing.The development will be watched closely by New Delhi. The proposed Pasni port’s proximity to Chabahar, where India is developing the Shahid Beheshti terminal, is of major strategic concern.

India’s investment in Chabahar is crucial for its ambition to bypass Pakistan and create a trade corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia. How this potential US-run port might alter regional trade and security dynamics will be a key focus for Indian policymakers.

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