• PM urges investors to develop domestic processing, refining industries
• CDF assures security for mining projects, workers, investors
• FWO finds 350m tonnes of copper in Chagai district
• Barrick explores investment in mineral processing facilities in Karachi, Gwadar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership on Friday urged international investors to establish long-term partnerships across the mineral sector’s value chain, from mining and processing to refining and value-added manufacturing for exports, as the two-day mineral forum concluded with the signing of 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the event and assured participants from around 60 countries of security and investment protection.

Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26), PM Shehbaz invited international investors to explore Pakistan’s mineral wealth and shift their focus from exporting raw minerals to developing domestic processing and refining facilities, assuring them of full government support.

“Your safety is our safety,” the prime minister said as he pledged to address concerns raised by prospective investors.

He said Pakistan must move beyond exporting unprocessed resources and establish facilities to convert raw materials into finished and semi-finished products, generating greater economic value, employment, technical expertise and technology transfer.

The prime minister highlighted that copper and gold production at the Reko Diq project in Balochistan’s Tethyan copper belt was expected to begin in 2028 after the project had remained stalled for about two decades.

He called for Reko Diq and other projects along the Tethyan belt to establish refineries, smelters, cable and conductor factories and urged investors to “mine in Pakistan, process in Pakistan, manufacture in Pakistan and then export to the rest of the world”.

Referring to a Goldman Sachs projection that Pakistan could become the world’s sixth-largest economy by 2075, PM Shehbaz expressed hope that the country would achieve the milestone before 2050.

The premier also assured investors that the federal and provincial governments would work together to facilitate their projects and remove bureaucratic hurdles.

“If any file gets stuck due to bureaucratic delays or cumbersome procedures, bring it straight to me. I will personally ensure that it moves at lightning speed,” he said.

Field Marshal Munir also gave assurances to investors, stressing that all possible measures were being taken to ensure the security of the entire mining sector, including mines, workers, investments, industries and associated projects.

He said Pakistan’s ambition extended beyond exporting raw minerals to developing the complete value chain domestically, including refining and manufacturing.

Describing the conversion of mineral wealth into economic gains as a collective national goal, he stressed that communities in mineral-rich areas must benefit directly from mining projects.

He called for long-term partnerships that generated lasting value for Pakistan and its partners, urging the country to move “from potential to production, from promises to action, and from raw exports to value-added growth”.

The prime minister and Field Marshal Munir also inaugurated the National Minerals Data Centre and the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) GeoPortal.

The digital platforms are designed to improve access to geological information, support mineral exploration, reduce uncertainty for investors and facilitate informed investment decisions.

Barrick eyes processing investment

Later, during a meeting with a delegation of Barrick Mining Corporation led by its Chairman John Thornton, PM Shehbaz directed the relevant authorities to ensure that local communities, particularly those in Balochistan, benefited directly from mineral development projects.

He stressed the need to create employment and skills development opportunities for local youth and improve economic conditions in communities surrounding mining sites.

Describing Reko Diq as a project of strategic importance to Pakistan’s economic future, the prime minister welcomed Barrick’s participation in the forum.

The delegation expressed keen interest in investing in mineral processing industries in Karachi and Gwadar.

Meanwhile, addressing the forum, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan was increasingly directing exploration towards minerals of strategic importance to global investors.

He highlighted modern geochemical and geophysical surveys, exploratory drilling and efforts to upgrade geoscience laboratories with advanced analytical technologies.

The minister cited copper and gold prospects in Chagai and western Balochistan, lithium, tin and tungsten in Gilgit-Baltistan, and antimony and base metals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said Pakistan was seeking a greater share of the global mineral value chain through domestic processing and refining, including efforts towards copper smelting.

Mr Malik said the GSP had accelerated its geological mapping programme, including surveys at a scale of 1:50,000, while international technical cooperation was strengthening digital mapping, airborne surveys and mineral assessment.

The digitisation of geological records would also improve investor access to reliable data and reduce exploration risks, he added.

The minister stressed that commercially viable mining required supporting infrastructure, including electricity, water, roads, railways and access to international markets.

He cited the planned upgrade of the Rohri-Nokundi railway corridor, connectivity to Port Qasim and infrastructure development around Reko Diq as important steps towards linking mineral-rich areas with global markets.

A major announcement during the forum came from the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), which reported an estimated 350 million tonnes of copper in the Dasht-i-Kain area of Balochistan’s Chagai district, based on an analysis of approximately half of its drilling data.

The announcement highlighted the area’s exploration potential and added to the investment opportunities presented during the forum.

PMIF President and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) CEO Ahmed Hayat Lak said the forum had brought together thousands of delegates, investors, diplomats, industry leaders and technical experts, helping translate Pakistan’s mineral potential into investment opportunities and strategic partnerships.

The second day’s programme also featured a government dialogue on developing investor-ready mining jurisdictions, with participants discussing policy certainty, regional cooperation, local content, skills development and long-term industrial growth.

International industry leaders, including Barrick’s Mr Thornton, Ivanhoe Mines Executive Chairman Robert Friedland and Minmetals Central and South Asia Vice-President Wang Jicheng, also addressed the forum.

Agreements, joint ventures

Among the agreements and partnerships announced at the forum were joint ventures between Turkiye’s Lidiya Mining and Mari Minerals (Private) Limited for mineral exploration and development in Chagai and between the UK’s MSALABS and Mari Minerals to establish a commercial mineral assay laboratory in Pakistan.

Mari Minerals also announced a joint venture with Turkiye’s General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) for the exploration and potential development of copper, gold and associated mineral deposits in Chagai, along with a partnership with Ivanhoe Atlantic.

The FWO signed an MoU with Ivanhoe Mines for mineral exploration and mining projects in Chagai.

Pakistan and Japan also announced plans to strengthen cooperation in geosciences and support the Geological Survey of Pakistan.

The GSP signed MoUs with Turkiye’s MTA, Germany’s Fed­eral Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), and the British Geological Survey to enhance cooperation in geosciences.

Turkiye’s MTA International Company (MTAIC) and the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) announced a joint venture for the exploration of antimony, copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and other critical minerals in Pishin, Balochistan.

Another joint venture was announced between International Geosciences Services and PMDC for gemstone resource assessment.

Two other agreements announced at the forum involved Globacore Min­erals supporting advanced geophysical investigations in Pakistan and Fleet SpaceANT for ambient noise tomography, the organisers said.

Syed Irfan Raza also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2026