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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House this Thursday, bringing with him a new offer that differs from any previous meeting of Pakistani leaders with Washington.
Instead of the usual role as a security partner in Afghanistan or the "war on terrorism," Islamabad is trying to restore relations with the US through a new strategic card: mineral resources and rare earth elements.
On September 8, in a high-profile ceremony at the prime minister's residence, with the presence of Pakistani generals and American officials, two agreements (MoUs) were signed that provide for US investments of $500 million in the Pakistani mining sector and the supply of the US with rare and critical minerals, essential for industry, defense, and the transition to clean energy.
The development marks a sharp reversal in Trump’s stance on Pakistan. In 2018, he publicly accused Islamabad of giving him nothing but “lies and deception.” Today, he publicly thanks Pakistan for its help in the fight against terrorism, has slashed trade tariffs on Pakistani goods to the lowest in the region (19%), and has invited not only Sharif but also the Pakistani army chief to the White House—an unprecedented gesture.
According to analysts, this is a "strategic handshake" where the US seeks to secure the mineral supply chain, while Pakistan aims to link this natural wealth with national pride and the hope of alleviating the severe economic crisis and foreign debt of $130 billion.
In the main agreement, the Pakistani military-engineering company Frontier Works Organization (FWO) will collaborate with the American company United States Strategic Metals (USSM) for the immediate export of available minerals, such as antimony, copper, gold, tungsten and rare earth elements.
This cooperation is seen as a new cornerstone in US-Pakistan relations, with the potential to shift the partnership from security to economics and strategic resources.
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