Pakistan has attracted more than 5,000 attendees from over 60 countries to its international minerals investment forum in Islamabad which could help bring foreign investment into the country's mining sector.
The two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) opened on Thursday, November 12, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar inaugurating the event and its international exhibition.
Addressing the gathering, Dar said Pakistan had significant potential in copper, gold, iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, rock salt, marble, gypsum and gemstones.
He delved into the country's copper and gold deposits along the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt and mentioned Reko Diq project in Balochistan as an example of international cooperation in the mining sector.
He said mineral development had become a national economic priority, with the government seeking to diversify exports, strengthen the industrial base and attract domestic and foreign investment.
Finance Minister&8217;s Pitch Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Pakistan's fiscal deficit had fallen to a 22-year low, while the country had recorded primary surpluses for three consecutive years.
He also highlighted foreign exchange reserves of $21. 5 billion, equivalent to more than three months of import cover. Aurangzeb said mining could become a major contributor to economic growth, exports and investment.
He stressed the importance of investor confidence, including the smooth repatriation of profits and dividends. He added that sustaining economic stability would require structural reforms and a shift towards export-led growth.
Federal Petroleum Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh said Pakistan was working with provincial governments and federal institutions to make the mining sector more transparent and investor-friendly.
Reko Diq project and said several other mining projects were ready for investment. He also announced that offshore exploration was set to resume after a gap of several years.
Provincial leaders also presented their investment opportunities and incentives during the forum.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the province had identified 27 minerals and was encouraging scientific exploration, responsible mining and value addition.
He invited investors to participate in commercially viable projects, highlighting Thar coal and public-private partnerships.
Punjab Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced financial incentives, interest-free loans and one-window facilities for mining investors. She said provincial revenue from the Mines and Minerals Department had increased from Rs.
10 billion to Rs. 40 billion in two and a half years. She also announced financing of up to Rs. 5 billion, with the provincial government bearing the interest cost, alongside concessional land leases and other incentives for eligible investors.
Balochistan Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti invited investors to develop the province's mineral and energy resources.
He said a separate security division had been established for the Mineral Corridor to protect investors and mining projects.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi highlighted more than 100 mineral sites identified under a Geological Survey of Pakistan initiative, with 69 sites under process.
Kashmir Meanwhile, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Iftikhar Ali Gillani highlighted untapped deposits of ruby, tourmaline, topaz, granite, coal and bauxite.
The forum also featured discussions on financing mineral exploration, developing new mining projects, geological surveys, technology transfer and sustainable mining.
Major international and domestic exhibitors included Barrick Mining Corporation, China Molybdenum, Komatsu, Siemens, ABB, Metso, Mari Energies, Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation.
The second day of the forum will take place on Friday, November 13, with further industry discussions, strategic announcements and the unveiling of the National Mineral Data Centre, Geological Survey of Pakistan Geoportal and Agreement Exchange initiative.