Pakistan Urges Domestic Mineral Processing as Army Chief Vows Investor Security

ISLAMABAD — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged foreign mining companies to process minerals in Pakistan rather than export them in raw form, while the country’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, pledged maximum security for investors, workers and mining projects.

Pakistan is seeking foreign investment to develop its largely untapped mineral resources, including copper, gold and rare earth metals, as it struggles to revive economic growth. However, militant violence, particularly in the mineral-rich southwestern Balochistan province, has raised concerns among international investors, with Canada’s Barrick Mining Corporation announcing in April that it would slow development of the Reko Diq copper-gold project.

“Mine in Pakistan, process in Pakistan, manufacture in Pakistan and then export to the rest of the world,” Sharif told participants at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad.

The prime minister said Pakistan wanted the Reko Diq project and other mining ventures in the country’s mineral-rich southwest to establish refineries, smelters and factories producing cables and conductors, creating jobs and expanding the country’s industrial base.

“Last year, I stood before many of you at this forum and made a solemn commitment,” he said, referring to his earlier pledge to end the export of unprocessed minerals.

“I am happy to renew my commitment; inshallah, that day is not far away when this will come to a grinding halt.”

Pakistan’s army chief also told the forum that the country aimed to become a competitive destination for long-term mineral investment and would ensure maximum security for mines, miners, investors, industries and mining projects, according to a statement issued by the military’s media wing.

Munir said transforming Pakistan’s mineral wealth into economic opportunities was a collective national goal, calling for development of the entire value chain, from extraction and refining to manufacturing.

He also stressed the need to move from raw mineral exports toward value-added growth and ensure that communities living near mining projects benefited directly from investment.

The security assurances come amid persistent attacks by separatist militants in Balochistan, where workers at coal mines and Chinese-backed projects have frequently been targeted.

Pakistan has sought to strengthen security around its mineral resources. A Balochistan government official told Arab News in February that authorities had decided to raise a dedicated paramilitary force to protect mineral-rich areas and secure the province’s borders with Iran and Afghanistan.

Sharif acknowledged investors’ security concerns, saying protecting their personnel, assets and supply routes was a fundamental responsibility of the government.

“Your safety is our safety, and your protection is our protection,” he said.

The prime minister also promised to simplify investment procedures, eliminate bureaucratic delays and ensure transparency in awarding mining licenses and contracts.

He said the federal and provincial governments would work together to facilitate investors, while digitization of geological records would help companies assess mineral deposits before committing funds.

“If any file gets stuck due to bureaucratic delays or cumbersome procedures, bring it straight to me,” Sharif said. “I will personally ensure that it moves at lightning speed.”

He said production at Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits, was expected to begin in 2028.

The project, being developed by Barrick in Balochistan, is central to Pakistan’s efforts to attract foreign capital and expand mineral exports, although security concerns have complicated its development.

Sharif also urged mining companies to establish vocational training centers, transfer technology and promote local suppliers, saying mineral investments should also improve access to schools, health care and clean drinking water in surrounding communities.

The two-day forum, which began on Thursday, has brought together government officials, international investors and mining executives as Pakistan seeks to turn its mineral reserves into a source of industrial growth.

Canada-based Ivanhoe Atlantic’s chairman, Robert Friedland, announced on Thursday that the company had signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan’s Mari Energies and was preparing to establish a local office in the country.

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