In a quest to remain the economic hegemon of the world, the United States (US) has set its eyes on Pakistan’s precious minerals. As per credible reports, a key official from the State Department Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs expressed American interest in Pakistani minerals to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The development came about after the Minerals Investment Forum was held  to boost investment inflows into the mining sector. Reports reveal that a multitude of multinational firms and foreign state officials visited the forum. 

US based companies are considering exploiting Pakistan’s resources in mutually beneficial ventures. Reports suggest that Shehbaz Sharif believes that collaboration with the US could yield great results for cash-strapped Pakistan.

Pakistan’s immense debt burden could be cut down if investments pour into the country. Shehbaz Sharif has outlined how the country contains precious minerals and elements worth ‘trillions of dollars’.

There is merit to this claim as Pakistan currently possesses one of the largest deposits of gold, copper and lithium. Additionally, with China refusing to export seven rare elements to the US, it makes intuitive sense as to why the US wants to secure extraction rights and trade deals with countries other than China.

Previously, the US was locked in negotiations with Ukraine to gain access to its resources in exchange for support in the war effort against Russia. However, many believe that if Ukraine inks this deal, it would get the short end of the stick - as it is seemingly exploitative.

The US wants Ukraine to allocate approximately 50 percent of proceeds from mining and extraction operations to the US. Moreover, the Trump administration also seeks to secure partial ownership in important infrastructure across the war-torn country.

While Ukraine might not sign the deal, the US is likely to find a commercial ally in Pakistan. This is because Shehbaz Sharif has reportedly expressed the federal government’s inclination to solidify ties with the US.

His decision to send a delegation, right after the mining investment forum, to the US indicates the government’s willingness to collaborate with the superpower. Pakistan could witness significant growth because of US-led mining operations as the Pakistani premier has forbidden the export of raw minerals, claiming that foreign companies must produce goods from these elements before they can be exported.

However, it is unclear if mining operations can run unimpeded in Balochistan - the province with the largest deposits of minerals. A rise in terrorist activities has been recorded across the region which could potentially drive away investment inflows.