Pakistan floats proposal to the US for developing Arabian Sea port as mineral export hub
Pakistan has reportedly proposed the development of a new port in Pasni, Balochistan—situated along the Arabian Sea, about 70 miles from the Chinese-built Gwadar Port—as part of a plan to position itself as a key exporter of critical minerals to the United States. The offer, reported by a UK-based daily, is seen as part of Islamabad’s efforts to deepen engagement with President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the report, the Pasni Port proposal was discussed informally with certain US officials and shared with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Army Chief, ahead of his meeting with President Trump at the White House late last month. However, a senior US official clarified that the president and his advisers had not formally discussed such a proposal.
The plan envisions Pasni as a dedicated export terminal for Pakistan’s critical minerals, notably copper and antimony—essential for batteries, fire retardants, and missile components. The proposal includes constructing a new railway line linking the port to Pakistan’s mineral-rich interior, with an estimated investment of up to $1.2 billion. The project’s financing model reportedly combines federal funds and potential US-backed development finance.
However, Pakistan’s government and military have since denied any formal offer of port access to the United States. The official further noted that while Pasni’s strategic location gives it geopolitical importance, the port proposal remains conceptual at this stage rather than an approved initiative.
Meanwhile, Pakistan and the US have already begun cooperation in the critical minerals sector. In September, Missouri-based US Strategic Metals (USSM) signed an MoU with Pakistan’s military engineering arm to explore mineral extraction and refining opportunities.
—toLate last month, Pakistan shipped its first small consignment of less than two tonnes of critical and rare earth minerals — including copper, antimony, and neodymium — to USSM. The exports come amid a global supply shift, particularly after China banned exports of antimony to the US late last year, driving up global prices.
