ISLAMABAD — Pakistan shipped its first consignment of rare earth minerals to the United States, marking a key milestone in the two countries’ evolving economic and strategic partnership, according to NDTV.
The shipment follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September between Pakistan and U.S. Strategic Metals (USSM), which plans to invest nearly $500 million to establish mineral processing and development facilities in Pakistan. The consignment, prepared in coordination with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), includes antimony, copper concentrate, and rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium.
Sources in Washington described the delivery as a crucial step toward integrating Pakistan into the global critical minerals supply chain, a sector increasingly vital to industrial growth and national security worldwide. USSM called the shipment “a milestone in the Pakistan-U.S. strategic partnership,” noting that the agreement sets a roadmap for collaboration across the mineral value chain — from exploration and processing to building refineries inside Pakistan.
USSM CEO Stacy W. Hastie said the delivery “opens an exciting chapter of collaboration” and underscores a shared commitment to expanding trade and deepening ties between the two nations. Analysts suggest the deal could generate billions in revenue for Pakistan, create jobs, and foster technology transfer, tapping into the country’s estimated $6 trillion in untapped mineral reserves.
However, the agreement has sparked political controversy. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram called for full disclosure of the deal, raising concerns over “secretive and lopsided agreements” with Washington. Akram also referenced a recent Financial Times report alleging plans to offer Pasni Port to the U.S., though military sources dismissed it as “a commercial idea” rather than official policy.
Akram urged the government to learn from history, comparing the current situation to Mughal Emperor Jahangir’s 1615 decision to grant British trading rights at Surat Port, which eventually led to colonial control.
