For decades, Pakistan’s multi-trillion-dollar mineral wealth has been a story of untapped potential—stalled by red tape, security concerns, and the habit of shipping raw ore abroad only to buy back expensive finished goods.
On Friday, at the closing day of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) in Islamabad—which drew delegates from over 60 countries and resulted in 13 major agreements and MoUs—the country’s top civil and military leadership delivered a clear message to global mining giants: that era is over.
Addressing international investors, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir laid out a coordinated roadmap designed to turn Pakistan into a competitive, end-to-end mining and manufacturing hub.
1. “Mine, Process, and Manufacture in Pakistan”
The central theme of the Prime Minister’s keynote address was value addition. Rather than allowing foreign firms to extract raw minerals and refine them offshore, Pakistan is pushing investors to build domestic smelters, refineries, and cable and conductor factories.
“My humble and sound advice to you would be: mine in Pakistan, process in Pakistan, manufacture in Pakistan and then export to the rest of the world,” PM Shehbaz told the forum, vowing to bring raw mineral exports to a “grinding halt.”
2. Reko Diq Set for 2028 Launch
After being mired in legal and bureaucratic gridlock for two decades, the flagship Reko Diq copper and gold project on the Tethyan Copper Belt is officially moving into execution, with production slated to begin in 2028.
Thanking Barrick Gold for staying the course, the Prime Minister pointed to the project as proof that Pakistan can deliver on mega-ventures. He even challenged Goldman Sachs’ projection that Pakistan would become the world’s sixth-largest economy by 2075, declaring that unlocking the mineral sector could help the nation hit that milestone before 2050.
3. Ironclad Security Guarantees
For international investors eyeing resource-rich regions like Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, security has long been the biggest question mark. Field Marshal Asim Munir addressed those concerns head-on, guaranteeing comprehensive protection across the entire mining ecosystem—from remote exploration sites and supply corridors to foreign personnel and capital.
Calling for a shift “from potential to productivity, from promises to action, and from raw exports to value-added growth,” Munir emphasized that national security and economic development are moving in lockstep.
4. Uniform Fiscal Terms and Zero Red Tape
To back up the political and security guarantees, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik announced major regulatory reforms aimed at eliminating investor friction:
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No More Case-by-Case Haggling: Pakistan will offer standardized, transparent fiscal terms to all responsible mining companies rather than forcing bespoke negotiations.
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PM’s Fast-Track Guarantee: PM Shehbaz pledged to personally intervene if any investment file gets stuck in bureaucratic delays.
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Digitised Geological Data: Over 40 exploration licences have recently been awarded in Balochistan’s Chagai and Khuzdar districts. Meanwhile, the Geological Survey of Pakistan is digitising decades of records and conducting 1:50,000 scale mapping across Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan (lithium, tin, tungsten), and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (antimony and base metals) so companies can scientifically price risk before drilling.
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Infrastructure Upgrades: Work is underway to upgrade the Rohri-Nokundi Railway Corridor and build direct road links from Chagai to Gwadar Port and Port Qasim.
5. People and Planet First
Both leaders stressed that local communities must be the primary beneficiaries of the mining boom. Projects will be required to meet international environmental standards to safeguard water resources while investing directly in local jobs, clean drinking water, schools, healthcare, and vocational training for Pakistan’s youth.
The Bottom Line
With major players like Barrick, Ivanhoe Mines, and Minmetals at the table—and concrete deals already signed, including a $100 million investment pledge from National Resources Limited (NRL)—PMIF 2026 signals that Pakistan is no longer just pitching potential. If the government delivers on its promises of policy consistency and infrastructure, the next few years could reshape the country’s economic landscape