Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum Draws 60 Nations
Pakistan has opened the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 with delegations from 60 countries, pitching its mineral wealth to investors. The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum drew 122 exhibitors and more than 5,000 attendees on its first day.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb led the pitch on Thursday, promising predictable policies, institutional support and security for mining investors. Leaders from all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan presented their own mineral resources and investment plans.
Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum: the opening day
The two-day forum is organised by the state-run Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL). It brought together diplomats and representatives of international financial institutions and the global mining industry.
Inaugurating the forum and its international exhibition, Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a predictable, investor-friendly environment for mining through institutional facilitation and policy reforms.
“Our ambition is clear: to develop Pakistan’s mineral resources responsibly, strengthen our industrial base, diversify our exports, empower our provinces and communities and establish Pakistan as a competitive and trusted partner in the global minerals economy,” he said.
He said the government had made mineral development a strategic national priority for diversifying exports and mobilising investment.
Copper, gold and the Reko Diq example
Dar highlighted Pakistan’s copper and gold potential along the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt, along with deposits of iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, rock salt, marble, gypsum and gemstones.
He cited the Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan as an example of collaboration involving international expertise, national participation and provincial ownership. Reko Diq has faced delays, with first production now expected around 2030.
He said growing global demand for minerals used in clean energy, electric vehicles, battery storage and advanced technologies had created new opportunities for Pakistan.
Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said new data tools launched at the forum would make geological information easier to access.
Aurangzeb: mining can drive exports and growth
In his keynote address, Aurangzeb highlighted progress in restoring macroeconomic stability. He cited a fiscal deficit at a 22-year low, three consecutive years of primary surpluses and foreign exchange reserves of $21.5 billion, equal to more than three months of import cover.
Aurangzeb has already reported the fiscal deficit at a 22-year low, along with three primary surpluses in a row.
He said improved fiscal and external buffers had helped the country withstand economic challenges.
He stressed that sustaining the gains would depend on structural reforms and a shift towards export-led growth rather than consumption-driven expansion. Mining, he said, could become a major driver of sustainable growth, exports and investment.
Provinces showcase their mineral wealth
In a session titled “Provincial Prospectivity to Prosperity”, provincial leaders presented their resources and plans.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz invited investors to explore the province’s mineral wealth, announcing financial incentives, interest-free loans and one-window facilities. She said revenue from Punjab’s Mines and Minerals Department had risen from Rs10 billion to Rs40 billion in just over two years.
She listed emeralds, marble, granite, gold, gemstones, copper, pink salt and iron ore among Punjab’s resources. She outlined concessional land leases, financing of up to Rs5 billion with the provincial government bearing the interest cost, and incentives for eligible investors in designated industrial estates.
She said placer gold deposits had been found in Punjab’s rivers and surveys were under way to measure their quantity. She added that Chiniot held an estimated 261.5 million tonnes of iron ore, which could be processed into steel through domestic facilities.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said Sindh had identified 27 minerals and was promoting scientific exploration, responsible mining and value addition. He described Thar coal as the province’s major mineral asset and pointed to public-private partnerships and Chinese cooperation in developing it. Sindh signed 34 memoranda with Chinese firms in Shanghai last month.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti assured investors of a secure environment. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi promised security and one-window facilitation. AJK Prime Minister Iftikhar Ali Gillani listed ruby, tourmaline, topaz, granite, coal and bauxite, and invited firms that specialise in high-altitude mining. Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Amjad Hussain pointed to precious minerals, metals, dimension stones and placer gold, while admitting that poor connectivity and energy shortages remained obstacles.
Exploration financing and the exhibition
The forum’s business sessions focused on financing early-stage exploration and developing new mining projects. A session on exploration financing brought together the Asian Development Bank, International Resources Holding, Globacore Minerals and M. Klein and Company.
Alongside the conference, the exhibition featured 122 exhibitors, including Barrick Mining Corporation, Mari Energies, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Metso and Siemens.
The forum was announced last month as Pakistan’s flagship platform for mining investment. Ivanhoe Mines has signed an agreement with Mari Energies as part of the same push.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum?
It is Pakistan’s flagship two-day forum for mining investment, held in Islamabad and organised by OGDC, bringing together policymakers, investors, mining firms and financial institutions.
How many countries attended PMIF26?
Delegations from 60 countries attended the opening day, along with 122 exhibitors and more than 5,000 attendees, according to OGDC.
What minerals is Pakistan pitching to investors?
Pakistan pitched copper and gold along the Tethyan belt, plus iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, rock salt, marble, gypsum and gemstones, with Reko Diq held up as the flagship example.
