Crypto, Minerals, Reko Diq: Pakistani Journalist Says Islamabad In Strategic Limbo Over US Ties

Last Updated:February 21, 2026, 23:13 IST

Najam Sethi alleged that Pakistan’s current strategy was not rooted in diplomacy but in providing material inducements.

Senior Pakistani journalist and former Punjab chief minister Najam Sethi on Saturday delivered a scathing assessment of Islamabad’s approach towards the United States, claiming that Pakistan lacks a coherent diplomatic strategy and is instead attempting to secure favour by offering personal and financial incentives to US president Donald Trump and his family.

Speaking during a commentary on Pakistan’s evolving ties with Washington, Sethi said the country was facing serious challenges in managing relations with the US, particularly amid renewed engagement with Trump.

“Pakistan is in deep trouble. What Trump wants, Pakistan does not have, and the country is caught in a state of uncertainty," he remarked.

Sethi alleged that Pakistan’s current strategy was not rooted in diplomacy but in providing material inducements.

“At times they try to lure them through cryptocurrency, at other times through access to mineral resources," he said, adding that offers have even included a possible stake in the Reko Diq mining project.

“Pakistan’s approach is not diplomacy, it is money," Sethi said, arguing that the aim appeared to be keeping Trump and his family on Islamabad’s side through personal benefits.

He also dismissed speculation that former prime minister Imran Khan figured in recent discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Trump. “Imran Khan was not part of that conversation," Sethi said.

Highlighting the dilemma facing Islamabad, Sethi said Trump was pressing Pakistan on two fronts.

“On one hand, he is asking for money, which we simply do not have. On the other, he is asking Pakistan to send troops abroad, something we are unwilling to do," he said.

“As a result, Pakistan is stuck in the middle, belonging neither here nor there," Sethi added.

Who Is Najam Sethi?

Najam Aziz Sethi, a veteran Pakistani journalist and media professional, is currently the chief executive officer of Mitchell’s, a food products company.

Over the years, he has held several prominent roles spanning journalism, public service and sports administration.

Sethi has served as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on three separate occasions and has also held office as a caretaker federal minister as well as caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

In the media sector, he is known as the founder of The Friday Times, a current affairs weekly, and Vanguard Books, a Lahore-based publishing house.

News world Crypto, Minerals, Reko Diq: Pakistani Journalist Says Islamabad In Strategic Limbo Over US Ties

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