The plan envisages American investors building and operating a terminal to access Pakistan’s critical minerals in the town of Pasni, according to the FT.

Pasni is a port town in Gwadar District in the province of Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.

The move comes after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, along with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, held a meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in September.

In that meeting, Sharif sought investment from US companies in the agriculture, technology, mining and energy sectors for investment.

According to the FT, the offer was floated with some US officials and was shared with Pakistan’s military high-ups.

The blueprint excludes the use of the port for US military bases, and instead aims to attract development finance for a rail network linking the port to mineral-rich western provinces, the FT report added.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report.

The US State Department, White House, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Pakistani Army could not immediately be reached.