ISLAMABAD: A senior Pakistani official has dismissed reports that Islamabad offered the United States access to a new port at Pasni, saying there has been no official communication with the US on the concept.
The Financial Times reported this week that private discussions had explored converting the seaside town of Pasni, located on the Arabian Sea, into a port that would link Pakistan’s mineral wealth to global markets. Located just 160 km (100 miles) from Iran and 112 km (70 miles) from China-backed Gwadar, Pasni’s proximity to key strategic hubs makes it highly attractive in regional geopolitics.
However, a senior security and intelligence official, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, dismissed suggestions that the idea represents official government or military policy.
“There is no plan to hand over Pasni’s security to any foreign power,” the official said. “Conversations with private companies were exploratory, not official initiatives.”
The official went on to clarify the role of Pakistan’s military leadership in the matter, underscoring that Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir should not be directly associated with such proposals.
“The Chief of Army Staff does not have advisers in any official capacity,” he explained. “Linking these ideas directly to him is misleading and inaccurate.”
The remarks follow reports suggesting that Pakistan may be courting Washington with new investment opportunities in the mineral and energy sectors. Advocates of the plan had pitched Pasni as a way for the US to gain a foothold in the region while counterbalancing China’s presence in Gwadar.
But officials insist that while private and commercial parties may have floated ideas, none have been submitted through official channels or reviewed at a strategic level.
Pasni, a modest fishing town of around 70,000 people, has long been considered a site with potential for port development due to its natural deep waters. Yet for now, the government stresses, the notion remains just that — a concept.
“Pasni’s location may make it significant in global geopolitics,” the security official concluded, “but at this stage, it is only an idea, not an initiative.”
The clarification highlights Pakistan’s delicate balancing act as it navigates ties with both Washington and Beijing, while fending off speculation that its military is driving secret deals behind closed doors.
