Islamabad: Pakistan is positioning itself as a key player in the global mining landscape with the launch of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25), set to take place on April 8-9 in the federal capital. The two-day event, hosted by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in partnership with the Government of Pakistan and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), aims to attract global investment and promote Pakistan’s rich mineral resources.
Covering a vast area of 600,000 square kilometers, Pakistan is home to 92 known minerals, 52 of which are commercially exploited. The mining sector currently supports 5,000 operational mines and over 50,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), providing employment to nearly 300,000 workers and producing over 68 million metric tons of minerals annually.
The forum will kick off with opening remarks from Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who is expected to stress Pakistan’s commitment to responsible and sustainable mining practices. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir will also address the forum on Day 1.
The agenda includes a high-level Ministerial Dialogue on driving responsible growth in the mining industry, with key panelists including ministers from Pakistan, Turkey, and Kenya, along with senior representatives from global firms such as Barrick Gold Corporation. Discussions will focus on governance, cooperation, and building resilient supply chains to ensure sustainable development in the mining sector.
The first day will also feature a spotlight session by Julian Kettle, Vice Chairman of Wood Mackenzie, on “The Energy Transition Starts and Ends with Copper,” highlighting the importance of copper in the global energy transition. Mark Bristow, CEO of Barrick Gold, will share insights on the future of the Reko Diq project, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits.
A significant highlight of Day 1 will be the unveiling of the National Minerals Policy 2025, aimed at attracting investment and ensuring regulatory transparency. The policy, designed to streamline the mining sector, will be discussed by experts including Dr. Hamid Ashraf and legal professionals from White & Case and Mandviwalla & Zafar.
Day 2 will dive deeper into the Reko Diq project, with a focused session on its feasibility study. Panel discussions will also center on strengthening industry-academia linkages to prepare the future mining workforce and promoting responsible mining practices.
The forum will conclude with closing remarks from OGDCL CEO Ahmed Hayat Lak, who will emphasize the critical role of public-private collaboration in unlocking Pakistan’s mineral potential.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the event, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and OGDCL Managing Director Ahmed Hayat Lak highlighted key initiatives aimed at making Pakistan an attractive investment destination for global stakeholders. Malik emphasized the need for a unified regulatory framework to simplify the complex landscape of Pakistan’s mining policies, which currently comprise multiple laws and regulations. With increasing global demand for critical minerals, Pakistan’s mineral sector has immense untapped potential. PMIF25 is set to position the country as a global frontier for mineral exploration and investment, encouraging both foreign and local investors to tap into its vast resources.
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