Pakistan Ships Rare Minerals To US, Political Storm Erupts As Imran Khan’s Party Attacks Government

Pakistan Sends Rare Earth Shipment to US: Economically troubled Pakistan has shipped the first shipment of rare and precious minerals to the United States as part of a $500 million deal between Pakistan's military engineering unit, the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), and the American company US Strategic Metals (USSM).

However, the deal has become the focus of controversy in Pakistan. Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has called it a "secret deal against national interest" and demanded transparency from the government.

Controversy escalated with the first consignment

According to Pakistani media reports, the first shipment to the US includes antimony, copper concentrate, and rare minerals such as neodymium and praseodymium. This was expected to be a new beginning for economic hope for Pakistan, but the political opposition has questioned it. The US company USSM has described it as an "important step in the strategic partnership between the two countries." 

The company said the deal would develop the entire mineral value chain in Pakistan, from mining to refining. However, opposition leaders say the partnership is not transparent and puts the future of Pakistan's land and resources at stake.

PTI said it had compromised national interest

Imran Khan's party, the PTI, has demanded that the government make the full details of the deal public. The party's information secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, said that Parliament and the public should be informed of these agreements. He alleged that "secret deals" with American companies were transferring Pakistan's assets to foreign hands.

PTI has warned that these agreements could lead to "a new economic slavery similar to that of the British colonial period." Akram said, "When Mughal Emperor Jahangir granted trading rights to the British at Surat Port, we know the consequences; now the same mistake is being repeated."

Questions also arose on Pasni Port

The dispute isn't limited to the mineral deal. Reports suggest that Pakistan is considering giving the US access to the Pasni Port in Balochistan, the same area where the China-backed Gwadar Port is located. According to the British newspaper Financial Times, this proposal has caused a stir in Pakistani political circles.

Parties and strategic experts believe that such unilateral deals could also pose a threat to Pakistan's territorial security. They said that such "reckless and unilateral decisions" would further destabilize the country's fragile economic situation.

Uproar erupted after a meeting at the White House

The controversy gained further momentum when a photo released from the White House showed Donald Trump looking at a box of rare earth samples. Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir was seen explaining something and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was seen smiling.

Experts say Pakistan is trying to secure economic relief by showcasing its rare mineral resources to the US. However, over the years, several foreign companies that have pursued mineral claims in Pakistan have abandoned their projects due to lack of resources.