The two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum is underway in Islamabad today, bringing together international investors and government officials as Pakistan seeks to attract foreign investment in its mineral sector, with provincial leaders outlining investment opportunities, incentives and development plans. While addressing the forum, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted Pakistan's vast mineral resources and efforts to diversify its export base, saying the country stood at a pivotal juncture in its economic journey. DPM Dar welcomed distinguished guests and more than 60 international participants attending the event, saying Pakistan was working to diversify its export base by capitalising on its vast geological and mineral wealth. The deputy prime minister described Balochistan as vital to Pakistan's mineral future, noting that the global transition to clean energy was driving demand for copper and creating new opportunities for mineral exploration in the country. DPM Dar stressed that "environmental protection must go hand in hand with economic development", adding that mineral development had been elevated to a strategic priority. He said the Pakistan Investment Policy 2023 provided protection to investors, highlighting the government's efforts to strengthen the investment environment. The deputy prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to respecting the sovereignty of every nation, adding that the country was placing greater emphasis on strengthening international ties, while its strategic partnership with China remained a key priority. DPM Dar added that provinces were offering investment opportunities to international investors. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says environmental protection must go hand in hand with economic development, adding that mineral development has been elevated to a strategic priority.@MIshaqDar50 #IshaqDar #PakistanMinerals #SustainableDevelopment… pic.twitter.com/io6oGjOSka — Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) November 12, 2026 Punjab's mineral revenue rises fourfold to Rs40b, says CM Maryam Speaking at the Pakistan MIF 2026 in Islamabad, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the province's revenue from the Mines and Minerals Department had increased fourfold from Rs10 billion to Rs40 billion over the past two and a half years, highlighting Pakistan's mineral wealth and investment opportunities. She said the country possessed immense mineral resources that could be transformed into economic prosperity through exploration, investment and value addition. “Pakistan holds immense potential, extraordinary wealth that waits to be discovered, that waits to be unearthed,” she added. “Pakistan is a pot of gold. And not only above the ground, but beneath the ground also.” The chief minister said Punjab's mineral wealth had never been the problem, but administrative challenges had prevented the province from fully benefiting from its resources. CM Maryam said revenue from the Mines and Minerals Department stood at Rs10 billion when she assumed office but had increased to Rs40 billion within two and a half years. “And Excellencies, my friends, this is just the beginning,” she added. She highlighted the province's reserves of emeralds, marble, granite, gold, gemstones, copper, pink salt and rock salt. She said Chiniot possessed 261.5 million tonnes of iron ore that could be processed into steel. The chief minister also highlighted efforts to increase the value of pink salt exports, saying the mineral had previously been exported in raw form, limiting Pakistan's earnings. She said the provincial government was providing interest-free financing to pink salt miners to encourage value addition and the production of finished goods. She also referred to evidence of placer gold deposits in Punjab's rivers, particularly in the Mianwali and Attock areas. She said surveys and studies were underway to determine the quantity of gold available in the rivers. “We have significant evidence, significant evidence that there is sufficient quantity of placer gold,” she said. The chief minister added that sand and gravel associated with placer gold could also contain rare earth elements, precious minerals and metals. CM Maryam said Punjab was seeking international partners to explore these resources and convert them into shared economic prosperity. Discussing investment opportunities, CM Maryam said the provincial government was working to eliminate bureaucratic delays and provide one-window facilitation to investors. Punjab CM said concessional land leases were being offered to reduce initial capital requirements, while financing of up to Rs5 billion was available under different investment schemes. “We are also offering concessional financing up to 5 billion rupees. The component of interest is picked up by the government of Punjab,” she added. The chief minister said the government was also providing support for solar installations to help investors manage energy costs. She added that customs duties in designated industrial estates, including the mineral processing zone in Quaidabad, Khushab, would be waived or reimbursed to investors. CM Maryam said the Quaidabad mineral processing zone offered land on nominal monthly rent under a 15-year lease arrangement that could be extended. She also outlined financing facilities for export-oriented industries, including zero-mark-up loans of up to Rs100 million, loans carrying a 3% mark-up from Rs100 million to Rs3 billion, and 5% mark-up on loans between Rs3 billion and Rs5 billion. The chief minister said a Rs5 billion financing portfolio had been established for pink salt value addition, offering interest-free loans of up to Rs50 million with a five-year repayment plan. She described the initiative as commercially viable, citing an estimated return of 55%. CM Maryam said business models and feasibility studies were also available for investment in rock salt, iron ore, placer gold and construction materials. Referring to infrastructure, she said Punjab's network of motorways, expressways, highways and inter-district roads was intended to facilitate industrial and mineral development. She added that mining-related procedures had been digitised, including bidding, work orders, renewals, licensing, deposits and offer letters. “The bidding is online. The work orders are online. The renewals are online,” she said. The chief minister said drone-based monitoring and digital procedures were being used to improve transparency and facilitate investors. She also assured international investors that the government would work to protect both their physical security and their investments. “We will make sure that they're not only safe and sound and secure physically, but we will make sure that their investment is also safe, the returns are good, so that it's a long-term partnership,” she said. CM Maryam expressed hope that international perceptions of Pakistan would improve and that the country would make a productive start towards realising its mineral potential. Sindh CM highlights coal projects, lithium reserves Speaking during the discussion, the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah urged international investors and experts to visit Pakistan's provinces rather than limiting their engagements to Islamabad. “I'd like to see not a year from now but hours and days from now, the global experts, the global investors to come to the provinces and not just stay in Islamabad,” he said. The Sindh chief minister said the provincial government was exploring opportunities to convert coal into fertiliser and gas. He expressed hope that projects involving coal-to-fertiliser and coal-to-gas technologies would be finalised within the next year. The chief minister also referred to promising lithium reserves in Sindh, saying he had recently discussed the matter with the chairman and managing director of the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC). He said the provincial government wanted the reserves to be properly explored over the coming year, describing lithium as another strategic mineral of interest. Balochistan CM outlines oil, gas and digitisation plans The Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said the provincial government was looking forward to two major interventions involving oil and gas, including the Saruna and Sui Fertiliser cities. He also highlighted plans to digitise the province's mineral department before July next year. The chief minister said these were among the key developments he expected to see by the next Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum. K-P governor stresses investor confidence The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said building confidence among local and international investors remained a priority for the provincial government. He said the focus should be on establishing long-term partnerships rather than seeking immediate financial commitments. The governor expressed hope that investors would have greater confidence in the K-P government, as well as peace and stability in the province, by the time the forum convened the following year again. He said the results of ongoing efforts would demonstrate the province's commitment to investors. Earlier, in his opening remarks, Secretary Petroleum Hameed Yaqoob Sheikh said Pakistan stood at an important juncture in the development of its mineral sector. He said the country was blessed with substantial deposits of copper, gold, chromite, coal, gemstones and other critical minerals, offering "unmatched potential and countless opportunities for investment". The petroleum secretary said Pakistan was determined to realise the potential of its mineral resources in a "responsible and sustainable manner", while ensuring minimal environmental impact and equitable sharing of gains with citizens. The two-day #PakistanMineralsInvestmentForum is underway in #Islamabad@ForeignOfficePk @Financegovpk @Official_PetDiv @mincompk #RadioPakistan #News https://t.co/SZHnMj4CTZ pic.twitter.com/xcsCRKEjx7 — Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 12, 2026 Sheikh said the government had pursued important reforms aimed at creating a "more transparent, predictable and investor-friendly mineral sector". He also highlighted that offshore exploration was beginning with the support of Turkiye.