PAKISTAN on Thursday showcased its vast mineral resources, ranging from coal and salt to gold and critical minerals, to attract international investment, promising predictable, investor-friendly policies, institutional support and security. The speeches delivered by leadership of the federal and provincial governments and enthusiasm of the participants of the two-day Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2026 augur well for exploitation of untapped mineral wealth of the country, the development of which could significantly boost exports, attract foreign investment and create new opportunities for industrial growth.
Official and industry estimates suggest Pakistan holds up to $6 trillion worth of combined mineral wealth, including copper, gold and rare earth elements. Geological surveys have identified minerals like bastnaesite, xenotime, monazite and fluoride in the country’s rock and stream sediment samples. Major powers like the United States and China have shown intense interest in helping Pakistan map and extract these resources to diversify global supply chains. The country signed a $500 million agreement and made its first symbolic mineral shipments to the US, alongside major foreign investments like the Reko Diq project. Despite the high valuation, actual production is heavily constrained by a lack of domestic refining facilities, security challenges, poor infrastructure and water scarcity in Balochistan and outdated mining laws. Pakistan is successfully showcasing its mineral wealth and potential for investment in the sector and the very fact that the Islamabad Forum was attended by over five thousand delegates from about sixty countries of the world speaks volumes about the active interest of potential entrepreneurs. In fact, during the forum some agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were also signed for cooperation in exploration and development of minerals. In their speeches, federal ministers and chief ministers of the provinces held out assurances to provide comprehensive security cover to investors and extend necessary facilitation in initiating ventures in different parts of the country. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who inaugurated the Forum, reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to creating a predictable, investor-friendly environment for the mining sector through institutional facilitation and policy reforms. The Government has made mineral development a strategic national economic priority, as the sector was essential to diversifying exports, strengthening the industrial base and mobilizing domestic and foreign investment. Commerce Minister Jam Kamal stressed the importance of investor-friendly policies, competitive taxation, reduced import duties on specialized mining equipment and greater coordination between federal and provincial governments to facilitate international investors. He particularly emphasized connecting small-scale Pakistani miners and existing leaseholders with major international mining companies through joint ventures, technology transfer and financial partnerships. This is the crux of the issues inhibiting proper exploitation of the mineral wealth and hopefully the federal and provincial governments will join hands in evolving a comprehensive framework for the purpose. Infrastructure development should receive priority as it is a prerequisite to accelerate the pace of exploration and mining besides connecting far-flung areas to the national mainstream. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal was quite relevant in highlighting the strategic importance of connecting Balochistan’s mineral-rich areas with seaports through an efficient road and rail network to facilitate mineral exports and attract further investment. He rightly proposed the immediate formation of a joint working group comprising the Ministry of Planning, National Highway Authority (NHA), Government of Balochistan and mining companies to finalize the corridor’s technical requirements, feasibility, financing and implementation arrangements. During a session titled “Provincial Prospectivity to Prosperity”, provincial leaders presented their mineral resources and investment plans. Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz invited investors to explore the province’s mineral wealth, announcing financial incentives, interest-free loans and one-window facilities to encourage investment and value addition. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the province has identified 27 minerals and that Thar coal was the major mineral asset. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti assured investors of a secure environment and invited them to partner with the provincial government in developing its mineral and energy resources. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, AJK Prime Minister Iftikhar Ali Gillani and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain made detailed presentations about mineral potential of the areas, promising to focus on security, one-window facilitation and taking practical steps to improve infrastructure and overcome energy shortages. The entire landscape of the mineral sector could transform significantly if the pledges the leadership made are realized on a priority basis. It may, however, be ensured that Pakistan does not become an exporter of raw minerals, which will be sheer wastage of a valuable national resource. Raw material should be processed in Pakistan to produce refined and finished products for export so that they fetch maximum for the country.
