Pakistan's 'secret deals' for sending rare earths to US raise eyebrows

Pakistan has dispatched its first consignment of rare earth mineral samples to the United States, raising eyebrows in Islamabad, the Dawn newspaper of Karachi reported.

- S VENKAT NARAYAN OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

This move brings both countries closer to implementing a deal for the export of minerals from Pakistan. The opposition PTI of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has raised concerns over these “secret deals” with the US, and called on the government to disclose the details of these agreements, the Dawn said.

While there is no direct government-to-government agreement to explore or exploit the mineral wealth, Pakistan's Frontier Works Organisation (FWO)—a military-linked engineering and mining entity—signed an MoU on 08 September with US Strategic Metals (USSM).