When Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US President Donald Trump at the White House, Pakistan brought with it a fresh promise. For years, Islamabad's value to Washington was defined by security cooperation during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and later in the US-led "war on terror". That credibility collapsed after accusations of duplicity, especially when US forces found Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad. Now, Pakistan is offering minerals instead of military leverage.

Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif addresses Special Climate Event Convened by UN Secretary General. Credit: X|@PakPMO

The mineral MoU and Trump's shift

On September 8, two MoUs were signed in Islamabad in a ceremony attended by Sharif, Army Chief Asim Munir, and senior officials from both countries. The most im

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