Islamabad: Senior security officials in Pakistan have vehemently rejected recent reports that the country offered the United States access to a naval base or port in Balochistan, labeling them unfounded and misleading.” According to the officials, any alleged approaches were informal, exploratory, and not part of official state policy.
The controversy stems from a Financial Times story suggesting that advisers to Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had privately discussed with US representatives a proposal to develop a deep‑sea port in Pasni, a coastal town in Gwadar district, to facilitate access to Pakistan’s critical mineral resources. However, security sources clarified that no formal communication with Washington ever occurred, and that the proposal was never vetted by government or military institutions.
One senior security official, speaking to state media, emphasized that Conversations with private companies were exploratory, not official initiatives. There is no plan to hand over Pasni’s security to any foreign power. The Chief of Army Staff has no official advisers in this regard.
The notion of linking those private discussions directly to the army chief was described as misleading and inaccurate. Observers note that Pasni has long been considered a potential deep‑water port site due to its natural depth and strategic location, but any development remains conceptual and not formally approved.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and senior politician Raza Rabbani have demanded that the government provide a full briefing to Parliament over evolving US ties, mineral deals, and the allegations surrounding the Pasni port. Rabbani criticized the lack of transparency and constitutional process, citing concerns about provincial interests being sidelined.
In defense of its position, Pakistan’s security establishment reiterated that future economic or port partnerships whether with the US, China, Saudi Arabia, or others will be evaluated only through the lens of national interest. Officials stressed their intent to attract investment and technology to harness Pakistan’s mineral wealth, not grant foreign powers military footing in its territory.