Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir assured foreign investors of "full protection" as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited global stakeholders to bring investment, technology, research and expertise to Pakistan's mineral exploration sector and benefit from the country's "investment-friendly policies".
Addressing the Pakistan's Minerals Investment Forum at the Jinnah Convention Centre, both the prime minister and army chief highlighted Pakistan's immense untapped mineral potential - worth trillions of dollars - and its readiness to become a major player in the global mineral economy.
The event, held under the auspices of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), was attended by over 300 international delegates, along with federal ministers, parliamentarians, governors, chief ministers and diplomats.
In his remarks, Gen Asim invited global investors to partner with Pakistan in developing its vast mineral reserves. He assured participants that the Pakistan Army would provide a robust security framework and take proactive measures to safeguard the interests and confidence of investors.
"I firmly believe that Pakistan is ready to take a leading role in the international mineral economy," the army chief said. "The development of both upstream and downstream mineral industries in Pakistan will be ensured," he added.
"With vast mineral reserves beneath our soil, skills in our hands, and a transparent mineral policy in place, there is no room for despair or inaction," he said, adding that there was a dire need for engineers, geologists, operators, and skilled miners to help unlock the sector's potential.
"That is why we are also sending students abroad for training to support the development of this sector," he said. "Our aim is to develop skilled manpower and human resources specifically tailored for the mineral sector," he added.
Gen Asim underscored the importance of investing in refining and value-addition in order to reduce costs and diversify markets in Pakistan. "Move forward and strive - for your country and yourselves," he stated.
"We, the Pakistanis unanimously assure our partners and investors that it is our collective national aspiration to benefit from your expertise in developing our mineral wealth," he said. He also assured foreign entrepreneurs they could trust Pakistan as a reliable and confident partner.
Acknowledging the contribution of tribal elders of Balochistan, Gen Asim praised their role in promoting mining activities and fostering development and progress in the province. "Through collective efforts, Pakistan's mineral sector can become a driver of regional development, prosperity, and sustainability."
In his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited foreign investors to avail the investment-friendly policies of Pakistan and bring in their investment, technology, research and expertise to benefit from the huge natural resources worth trillions of dollars, spanning over all regions of the country.
"From the rugged mountains of Balochistan to snow covered mountains of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa [K-P] and the pristine tops of Gilgit-Baltistan [G-B] and Azad Jammu and Kashmir [AJK], the valleys of Sindh and the plains of Punjab possess immense natural resources," he said.
"If we are able to harvest these great assets, I can say without any contradiction that Pakistan will say goodbye to the IMF [International Monetary Fund] programmes," he said, acknowledging that the global financial institution had been a great source of support for the country for decades.
Welcoming the companies from Europe, the US, China, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkiye and other countries, the prime minister urged the foreign investors to convert the existing opportunities into reality as the government was looking for solid partnerships with them.
The prime minister said that relevant provincial governments had been working to provide conducive environment to the foreign investors. He assured complete support from the federal government, provinces, institutions and the Pakistan Army.
Shehbaz pointed out that Sindh had the largest coal deposits which could feed cement plants and other industrial units, thus saving Pakistan's valuable foreign reserves spent on importing coals. Punjab, he added, had discovered the iron ores deposits in Chiniot.
Similarly, K-P, AJK and G-B had the enormous potential, he said. He announced that as per the government policy, raw material would not be shipped out of Pakistan; rather the foreign investors were encouraged to set up downstream industries to convert raw materials into finished product.
He observed that the investors would bring their technology and train the Pakistani youth in modern skills so that they could become entrepreneurs themselves. He urged them to consider training for Pakistani youth by establishing vocational centres.
The prime minister expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Energy Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, his team and all other relevant departments, besides the valuable support from the army chief and his colleagues; and the international partners for arranging and participating in the successful event.
The prime minister also appreciated the commitment of Mark Bristow, president and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Barrick Gold, to the Reko Diq project and said that he was impressed with his acumen and steadfastness.
Speaking at the forum earlier, Bristow said that feasibility study of the Reko Diq project had been completed, while the first production from the project was planned for 2028 and targeted 240,000 tons of copper and 300,000 ounces of gold per annum.
Addressing the forum, National Resources Limited (NRL) Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba said that the NRL had discovered significant copper-gold mineralisation in Chagai district of Balochistan. "Over the past 15 months, NRL has identified 18 new prospects in the area."
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan hosted vast resources of rare earth elements, industrial minerals, non-metallics and gemstones, including globally sought-after peridote and emerald.
Du0ring a discussion session Commerce Minister Jam Kamal emphasised that Pakistan was the destination for investment in the minerals. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the government has streamlined both fiscal and legal frameworks to encourage investment in the mineral sector.
On the occasion of the two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025, different memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements in the minerals sector were signed. The prime minister, chief of army staff and the chief ministers also witnessed the signing ceremony.
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