ISLAMABAD – Former Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani has strongly urged the federal government to “immediately” take Parliament into confidence regarding its evolving policy towards the United States. His assertion focuses on alarming media reports concerning the sale of rare earth minerals and the purported plan to offer Pasni port to Washington, raising fundamental questions about national sovereignty and resource ownership.
In a press release issued on Monday, Rabbani voiced deep concern that the federal government “has not taken the people or parliament into confidence on the dynamics of the new relationship with the United States.” He emphasised that “It is the right of the people to know the details and the direction of the foreign policy,” adding a historical note of caution: “In history, the US has never been a reliable friend to depend upon.”
Constitutional Concerns over Mineral Deal
Addressing the reported deal for the sale of precious and rare minerals to the American company, US Strategic Metals (USSM), Rabbani stated it was “unfortunate” that information about the significant transaction surfaced through the media. He stressed that the provinces are the “real stakeholders” and should have been consulted via the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
Rabbani pointed to Article 172 of the 1973 Constitution, which stipulates that “mineral oil and natural gas within the province… shall vest jointly and equally in that province and the federal government.” He asserted, “The federal government fails to realise that Article 172… is in operation, [and] the provinces are 50 per cent owners of the mineral resources.” He further recalled that provinces had previously “rejected the federal government-sponsored minerals law.”
Strategic Alarm over Pasni Port
The former Senate chief also raised the alarm over international media reports suggesting that the deep-sea Pasni port on the Balochistan coast might be offered to Washington. “This will have very serious repercussions on the other regional relationships,” he warned, suggesting the move could impact Pakistan’s strategic balance with key regional allies.
Rabbani’s assertion comes as Pakistan enters a new phase of economic and strategic engagement with the US. USSM, which signed an MoU in September to invest roughly $500 million in mineral processing facilities, recently dispatched its first consignment of mineral samples to the US to advance the deal. The shipment, prepared in collaboration with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), included antimony, copper concentrate, and rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium. Sources in Washington reportedly hope this collaboration will pave the way for Pakistan’s formal entry into the global supply chain for critical minerals, a sector with increasing implications for global industries and national security.
The former Senate chairperson’s demand underscores a growing call for transparency and parliamentary oversight as Pakistan navigates a sensitive strategic realignment and makes critical decisions about its national assets.
