Did Trump declare Majeed Brigade FTO to grab Pakistan’s rare earth mineral deposits? Will he send troops to Balochistan?

Open-cast mine of rare earth minerals.

Has US President Donald Trump declared Pakistan’s Majeed Brigade as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation so that it could capture the deposits of the rare earth minerals in the restive province of Balochistan? Will he send the US troops to Pakistan like China? How will Beijing react to Trump’s move after it forced Washington to roll back reciprocal tariffs from 145% to 30% using the rare earth minerals as a bargaining chip? How will Baloch separatist outfits like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) react?

Why did Donald Trump declare Majeed Brigade FTO?

Days after declaring The Resistance Force as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, the Trump administration termed the BLA-affiliatedMajeed Brigade as another FTO. It was believed that Donald Trump had taken a clever strategic move to send a signal to India as well as Pakistan. However, many believe that the US eyes the deposits of the rare earth minerals situated in Balochistan, where a decade-old separatist movement is going on. The BLA, along with the Majeed Brigade, is reportedly the main fountainhead of the struggle. 

(BLA fighters in Balochistan)

Rare mineral deposits in Balochistan

Balochistan has large proven reserves of iron, copper, lead, zinc, barite, chromite, coal, gypsum, limestone, ochre, silica sand, etc, small deposits of antimony, asbestos, celestite, fluorite, magnesite, soapstone, and sulphur. It also has large deposits of the rare earth minerals. Besides, Kohat and the Karakoram range also have large deposits of these minerals. As he has done in Ukraine, Donald Trump wants to take possession of these deposits. He declared the Majeed Brigade an FTO so that Pakistan is forced to hand over the area to explore and mine the rare earth minerals. These minerals are crucial for the automobile, defence equipment, satellite, aircraft and semiconductor sectors.

Will Trump send troops to Pakistan?

China deployed its troops in Balochistan after the BLA targeted its nationals working on its projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that passes through the restive province. Beijing will not like the idea of another country’s troops in the area. Secondly, the Pentagon may not like to get sucked into a new Afghanistan-like situation where it suffered considerable losses. Experts believe that Islamabad may allow the US companies to take out the minerals as it has neither the technology nor the capital required for the purpose. 

How will China react?

China has the largest deposits, about 98%, of the rare earth minerals. It banned the exports of these minerals after Donald Trump had raised the reciprocal tariffs gradually to 145%. It is believed that Trump has extended the deadline for a tariff deal for 90 days under pressure, and the rare earth minerals have played a crucial role. Taking lessons from China, Donald Trump decided to repeat in Pakistan what he has done in Ukraine—grab the deposits of these minerals by hook or by crook.