US Senator Marco Rubio has expressed Washington’s interest in exploring cooperation with Pakistan on critical minerals and hydrocarbons. This statement was made in a release by the US State Department on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day.
Last month, Washington and Islamabad welcomed a trade agreement that Pakistan says will reduce tariffs and boost investment. Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal stated that Islamabad will offer opportunities to US businesses for investment in mining projects, particularly in the southwestern Balochistan province, through joint ventures with local companies and incentives such as lease grants.
Balochistan hosts several significant mining projects, including Reko Diq, operated by Barrick Gold, considered one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines.
“We look forward to exploring new areas of economic cooperation, including critical minerals and hydrocarbons, and fostering dynamic business partnerships,” Rubio said on Wednesday night. “The United States deeply appreciates Pakistan’s participation in counterterrorism and trade.”
On Tuesday, the US and Pakistan held the latest round of counterterrorism talks in Islamabad. Washington has designated the separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
“This is the most positive and impactful joint statement on US-Pakistan counterterrorism dialogue I’ve seen in years,” said Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and writer for Foreign Policy magazine.
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