Pakistani Army Chief proposes new US port on Arabian Sea

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Advisers to Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir proposed to US officials the construction of a new port on the Arabian Sea near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran, according to a Financial Times report released on 4 October, citing a plan reviewed by the outlet.

The plan envisions US investors constructing and managing a terminal in Pasni, a coastal town in Gwadar District, Balochistan. The site is described as a gateway to Pakistan’s vital mineral reserves.

The blueprint rules out any US military bases. Instead, it highlights development finance opportunities for a rail network linking Pasni to mineral-rich western provinces, the report says.

The British financial outlet noted that the proposal was circulated to some US officials and later shared with Munir in advance of his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

That meeting, held late last month, followed earlier talks in September when Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought US investment in agriculture, energy, technology, and mining.

According to FT, Sharif pressed Washington to encourage private-sector involvement in Pakistan’s economy, while Munir’s advisers positioned the Pasni port project as a strategic opportunity for American companies.

The report noted that the initiative reflects Islamabad’s efforts to attract western development financing, particularly for infrastructure projects linked to the country’s resource sectors.

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