Pakistan is continuously trying to influence the United States, and now it has made a new offer. According to media reports, officers close to Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir have proposed to the US the construction and operation of a port in the Arabian Sea. This step is being seen as strategically significant.
US to build a port in Pasni, Gwadar district
According to the report, the plan is to construct this port in Pasni city of Gwadar district in Balochistan. The Financial Times claims that through this proposal, American investors could gain access to Pakistan’s valuable mineral resources.The plan also includes the construction and operation of a terminal along with the port. Pasni, a port city in Gwadar district of Balochistan, shares boundaries with Afghanistan and Iran.
From the US perspective, this port would also be highly beneficial. Firstly, since it lies next to Iran, America can use it for its geostrategic advantages, and secondly, America can also closely monitor Gwadar Port, which China uses.
India does not face any direct geostrategic disadvantage from this, but Pakistan’s moving closer to the United States is not a good sign for India.
Proposal for a rail corridor as well
According to the information, this proposal came after a meeting at the White House in September between Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and U.S. President Donald Trump. The report stated that this port would be solely for commercial and mineral-related purposes, not for any military use. Alongside this, Pakistan has also sought U.S. financial cooperation for developing a rail corridor connecting its western provinces.
