Washington, May 4 -- A high-stakes gamble by the Trump administration to counter Chinese influence in Pakistan's mining sector has hit a violent roadblock, as the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) intensifies its insurgency across the mineral-rich Balochistan province.

According to a report by The New York Times, the burgeoning alliance was cemented in September last year when Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir presented President Trump with a wooden box of gems in the Oval Office.

This was a symbolic gesture highlighting the "lucrative deals US companies could make in Pakistan." Trump subsequently lauded the commander as "a very great guy."

The diplomatic overtures paved the way for a USD 1.3 billion US investment in Balochistan, a ...