Islamabad : Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership are determined and hopeful for Pakistan’s emergence as a leader in global mineral economy.
The 2-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum hosted by Pakistan has begun at the Jinnah Convention Center in Islamabad.
Army Chief General Asim Munir says that with vast mineral reserves under the feet of the people, expertise in their hands and a transparent mineral policy, there is no room for despair and inaction. I firmly believe that Pakistan is ready to emerge as a leader in the global mineral economy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while inviting international investors to invest in Pakistan’s mineral sector, has said that mineral reserves worth trillions of dollars can help Pakistan bid farewell to institutions like the IMF.
While Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said that mineral resources must be fully utilized for sustainable economic stability. Pakistan has large reserves of gold and copper. Mineral resources more investment is needed to harness the potential of Pakistan, as it is entering a new era of economic growth.
Addressing the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2025, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir said that we welcome international organizations to Pakistan, they should enlighten Pakistan with their expertise. The Army Chief said that international organizations should find investment opportunities and partner in developing the vast resource potential, engineers, geologists, operators and many expert miners are needed to extract Pakistan’s mineral wealth.
The Army Chief said that students are also being sent abroad for training for the development of this sector, currently 27 students from Balochistan are undergoing training in mineral exploration in Zambia and Argentina.
Army Chief General Asim Munir said that Pakistan’s aim is also to create manpower, skills and human resources for the mineral sector, while economic security has emerged as an important component of national security. ‘You can trust Pakistan as a reliable partner’.
General Asim Munir said that you can trust Pakistan as a reliable partner, the Pakistan Army will ensure a strong security framework and proactive measures to protect the interests and trust of its partners and investors.
The Army Chief said that the development of upstream and downstream mineral industries in Pakistan will also be ensured. According to the Army Chief, it is important to invest in refining and value addition in Pakistan to improve costs and diversify markets.
The Army Chief said that with vast mineral reserves under the feet of the Pakistani people, expertise in their hands and a transparent mineral policy, there is no room for despair and inaction, move forward and fight for the country and yourself.
Army Chief General Asim Munir said Pakistanis assure their partners and investors that it is our collective national desire to benefit from your expertise to benefit from business and mineral wealth.
General Asim Munir said he also appreciated the efforts of Baloch tribal elders, who played a significant role in promoting mining activities and the development and progress of Balochistan. He added that by working together, Pakistan’s mineral sector can promote regional development, prosperity and sustainability for the collective benefit.
The 2-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum hosted by Pakistan has begun in Islamabad. At this high-level event, Pakistan intends to announce a coordinated framework to promote mining and mineral investment opportunities in its four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The forum is being attended by around 300 foreign delegates. PMIF 25 will serve as a key platform for global stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s emerging minerals sector and unlock the country’s vast mineral potential.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that Pakistan is strategically poised to emerge as a global mining hub at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF 25).
PMIF 25 will serve as a key platform for global stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s emerging minerals sector and unlock the country’s vast mineral potential.
In his opening remarks, Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan has valuable reserves like Reko Diq, the country also has vast resources of rare earth elements, industrial minerals, non-metallic and precious stones including peridot and emerald. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said that for sustainable economic stability, mineral resources must be fully utilized. Pakistan has large reserves of gold and copper, maximum investment is required to utilize mineral resources, Pakistan is entering a new era of economic growth. He said that with vast mineral resource potential, Pakistan’s resource corridor is ready to reshape the global supply chain and attract foreign direct investment.
Ishaq Dar said that the government has prioritized the strategic development of the mining sector through progressive policy reforms and investor-focused initiatives, and has laid the foundation for a strong ecosystem that provides value for all stakeholders. He added that this investment forum provides a unique platform for stakeholders, partners and friendly countries to explore new opportunities and establish mutually beneficial partnerships. A large number of foreign delegates are participating in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, which will provide them with an opportunity to review investment in mining and minerals in all four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik, while addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, assured that economic stability has been possible due to the government’s efforts, and the laws for investment in Pakistan are being simplified.
The Federal Minister for Petroleum emphasized in his address to the forum that Balochistan has special importance in terms of mineral resources, the government is committed to utilizing Pakistan’s mineral resources, and he also gave statistics regarding the presence of various minerals.
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal said that Balochistan has a lot of mineral potential, and all possible steps are being taken for investors in terms of security.
The Federal Minister for Commerce said that the participants of the forum are welcome, and the promotion of minerals by the government of Pakistan, inviting foreign investors and providing ease of doing business to investors will have a positive impact on the country’s economy. Jam Kamal Khan said that about 90 different types of minerals are being extracted from Balochistan and the northern regions of Pakistan, this sector needs more investment because according to the Geological Survey, Pakistan is rich in minerals and it has numerous minerals which are better in quality than other countries. He said that 95 percent of Pakistan’s resources have not yet been discovered, we want the world to come and discover these resources as well as use them effectively, and Pakistan has vast reserves of lithium, copper, silver, gold, aluminum and other metals. He said that Pakistan is a safe country for international investors, as evidenced by the hundreds of international companies present here, which are continuing their operations as well as expanding them.
The Federal Minister for Commerce said that Pakistan is one of the countries in the region where the corporate sector wants to invest and the Government of Pakistan has always been encouraging private investors. Jam Kamal said that we want more international companies to invest in this sector of Pakistan and benefit from the potential of this sector. Companies already investing in the minerals sector in Pakistan want to expand their operations and are increasing their investments in it.
CEO Barrick Gold, Mark Bairstow, made it clear in his address to the Minerals Investment Forum in Islamabad that Pakistan is unique due to its mineral resources, and Reko Diq will play a key role in Pakistan’s economic development. He said that the acquisition of minerals is very important for the industry, mineral reserves play an important role in the sustainable development of any country. It should be noted that the Reko Diq project has been the subject of political and judicial disputes, but with further progress, gold and copper production from the mine could start by 2028. The mining company Barrick Gold owns 50 percent of the project, while the remaining shares are owned by the Government of Pakistan (25 percent) and the Province of Balochistan (25 percent).
