Islamabad : As Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 marks the beginning of a mineral revolution in Pakistan, a large number of delegates including Saudi Arabia , US, France , Italy , Austria , China have landed in Islamabad to evaluate Pakistan ‘s initiative and avail opportunities to explore huge potential in mining sector of this country. A two-day global event titled ‘Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025’ is starting Tuesday in Islamabad.
Speaking to NEWSMAN , Zeeshan Zaidi General Manager External Affairs and Spokesman for Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) said on Monday ” Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 is a mega event for which Pakistan has got massive response from global investors and a large number of delegates have already reached in Islamabad to participate in it . Other than those who have already landed in Islamabad , many more delegates are in the transit and they are expected to reach in Islamabad before commencement of Pakistan Minerals Forum 2025 from April 8″.
The event aims to mobilize investment, drive policy action, showcase innovation and build powerful partnerships.
It may be recalled that according to all indicators, Pakistan has witnessed continuous growth and development in the economy and especially in the minerals sector due to the tireless efforts of the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
It is encouraging that global investors have shown their readiness to participate in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum which will usher in a new era of investment in the minerals sector in Pakistan and several MoUs will be signed during this forum for the development and investment of the minerals sector, which will create new opportunities.
A comprehensive action plan was developed through this forum for the future and development of the minerals sector the government, with the support of the military and SIFC, has given full assurance to provide security to local and foreign investors.
In line with the vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif, the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum will be held at the Jinnah Convention Center, Islamabad, regarding the minerals and mining potential of Pakistan. With a determination to promote investment, the government is striving for economic stability in the minerals sector by organizing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 in collaboration with SIFC.
The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum is being described as an important step in the development of the minerals sector.
The main objective of the Minerals Investment Forum, with the full support of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), is to pave the way for international investment in the country, including the development of the minerals sector.
Various issues will be discussed on both days of the forum to promote the development of the minerals sector and investment. The first day of the forum will be dedicated to the theme “Development in Mining – Governance, Cooperation and Sustainable Supply Chains”. The forum will also discuss the global interest in developing mineral resources and tapping local opportunities.
Pakistan’s National Mineral Policy will also be unveiled on this important occasion, which includes investment opportunities in the mineral sector in Pakistan. The National Mineral Policy will provide a conducive environment for investors.
The forum will discuss the progress of the Reko Diq project, its impact on the country’s economy and the future course of action. The completion of the Reko Diq project with the support of SIFC will strengthen the country’s economy and create local employment opportunities. It is worth noting that the government’s efforts through SIFC for the effective utilization of the country’s mineral resources are commendable. Determined to promote investment, the government is striving for economic stability in the mineral sector by organizing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 in collaboration with SIFC. A two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum is being organized in Islamabad to promote Pakistan as the region’s new trading hub for investment in mineral resources. The government is organizing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum from April 8 to April 9, 2025, to promote investment in the minerals sector. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir will also address the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum.In addition, important non-governmental organizations will participate in the forum. National dignitaries, federal ministers, secretaries, high-level executives and prominent media personalities are also expected to participate. It is worth noting that Eric Myer, Senior Bureau Official for South and Central Asian Affairs, will lead the US delegation to participate in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum to discuss US interests in minerals in Pakistan. The US State Department has stated that the said delegation will meet with senior government officials in Pakistan to promote the development of US businesses and expand relations between the two countries. Eric Myer will also discuss cooperation between the two countries in the field of counter-terrorism with senior Pakistani officials. Meanwhile, the forum will be attended by global investors. There are new prospects for development in the minerals sector. International experts will also participate in the forum to discuss the effective use of modern technology in the minerals sector. According to experts, development projects for the mineral sector are under consideration across the country, with focus on utilizing mineral reserves for sustainable development. The investment forum will hold important sessions on investment, security and government policies in important mineral projects including Reko Diq, which offer attractive opportunities for investors. It is worth noting that Reko Diq is the largest direct investment project in Pakistan. An investment of $10 billion will be made in Reko Diq in 2 phases. 7,500 people will be employed during the construction of the project. 4,000 people will get long-term permanent jobs separately. The Balochistan government will receive $50 million ($50 million) in royalties as an advance payment. Saudi Arabia will buy 15 percent of Reko Diq shares in two phases. $540 million will be paid in this regard. In the first phase, $330 million will be paid to Pakistan for a 10 percent share. In the second phase, $210 million is to be paid for the remaining 5 percent share. Saudi Arabia will pay $150 million ($150 million) separately for infrastructure development in Balochistan. The federal government and the Balochistan government are 50/50 partners in this project. Out of this 50% share, 15% of the shares are being sold to Saudi Arabia.
The federal and provincial governments must also invest their share. Both Barak Gold and Saudi Arabia will provide funds for the social sector and infrastructure of Balochistan. A payment of $70 million ($70 million) will be made for the social program. Under the social program, healthcare, education, vocational training and water infrastructure will be built. Since 2020, the demand for copper has increased significantly due to the energy sector, renewable energy and electric vehicles. Reko Diq production will stabilize the global supply chain. In the first phase, annual production is estimated at 40 million tons. In the second phase, this production will increase to 90 million tons. Gold production will initially be one hundred thousand ounces (2834 kilograms, or a little less than 3 tons). Later, gold production is estimated to reach five hundred thousand ounces, or 15 tons per year. Production from Reko Diq will begin by 2028. Bark Gold CEO Mark Bristow says that in 37 years, the production of the Reko Diq mine will be around $74 billion. This is $2 billion annually. For four decades, the Pakistani cash market will continue to receive a cash flow of $2 billion from Reko Diq alone. The federal and provincial governments will also receive huge amounts of money in the form of taxes and royalties. Security risks are also associated with Reko Diq. The mining area is not far from Afghanistan and Iran. Armed organizations are against this project. Balochistan has not benefited from the Saindak project in the past. Developing the social sector in the Reko Diq project. Providing employment and development to the local population is included in the terms of the agreement. It should be hoped that this project will also provide the local population of Balochistan with the benefits that they are entitled to. According to a Foreign Office spokesperson, the Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will arrive in Pakistan on April 8. During the visit of the Secretary General of the ECO, the Secretary General will meet the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and other federal ministers. In the meetings, the Secretary General will present ECO initiatives and his reform agenda. After Islamabad, Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will also visit Lahore. According to the spokesperson, Dr. Asad Majeed Khan will attend the 294th meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives of ECO in Lahore. The meeting will be held from April 12 to 14. On the other hand, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikael Jabbarov will visit Pakistan on April 8. The Azerbaijani Economy Minister will finalize agreements on investment projects. During his visit to Pakistan, Mikael Jabbarov will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A delegation led by the Azerbaijani minister is expected to discuss investment issues with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. The Tethys metallogenic belt, stretching from Balochistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is rich in gold, copper, iron, precious stones and other rare minerals. The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum will provide an opportunity to significantly increase the country’s exports by utilizing modern and faster mining methods to exploit the 600,000 square kilometers of mineral deposits in Pakistan, including coal, copper, gold, zinc, 90 types of marble and salt. SIFC’s efforts are ongoing to stabilize the Pakistani economy. The fruits of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) initiatives in Pakistan are starting to be seen. The establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council for foreign investors has ushered in a golden era of development in Pakistan. The Chief of Army Staff and the Government of Pakistan have decided to bring Pakistan into a new era of rapid development by establishing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum. Rich in natural resources, Pakistan is ready to join the ranks of the developed countries of the future. Pakistan’s rapid development will be ensured by using modern technology in the fields of agriculture, livestock, information technology and minerals. Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik says that the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum is going to be formally launched in which agreements are expected with mineral companies from many countries. While holding a press conference with MDOGDL in Islamabad, the Federal Minister of Petroleum said that the way events are organized in the world, the potential of countries is told to the people in the events. We want to organize this event at this level. Given the indicators of mineral resources that we have, perhaps it is not visible within the scope of our economy. How do we want to work to create awareness in this regard? This event is an effort in this regard. It is hoped that investors from Turkey, China, Azerbaijan and the United States will also participate. In addition, companies from Denmark, Finland and Kenya are also participating in this event. We also have full support from the UK. The Federal Minister for Petroleum said that some agreements are also expected on the occasion of the Minerals Investment Forum. During this time, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikael Jabroff will visit Pakistan to finalize the memorandums of understanding and agreements on investment projects. It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan Minerals Summit – Dust to Development was held in Islamabad in August 2023. Due to the efforts of the Special Investment Council (SIFC), the path has been paved for increasing salt exports from Pakistan. Apart from food, salt is also used in many other factors such as melting snow, waste of various chemicals and in the industrial sector of glass, rubber, medicines, etc. Salt in Pakistan can be obtained from mines, lakes and the sea. The salt reserves obtained from Pakistan’s mines are second in the world, while salt is also obtained in large quantities from the sea. To obtain salt from the sea, seawater is first collected in large ponds from where it is transferred to small ponds for saturation. The saturated salt is finally transferred to processing plants and made usable. The initial volume of this salt obtained from the coastal areas of Pakistan is 2 million tons per year, which has the potential to increase to 20 million tons per year. The processing and export of salt obtained from the sea was not given much attention in Pakistan earlier, which was raised as an unfounded proposal by the Hub Salt Company, this proposal was inoperative for two years, which was raised at the SIFC forum. SIFC considered this proposal of the Hub Salt Company and brought together all stakeholders and highlighted the domestic and international importance of this project. It is expected that this multi-billion dollar project will be launched in the month of June, and work on it will start next year.