The two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 concluded in Islamabad today.

Addressing the concluding day of the forum, attended by over 10,000 participants from more than 60 countries, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited international investors to explore Pakistan's mineral wealth.

He also assured the investors of investment protection and government's support, while calling for a shift from exporting raw minerals to developing domestic processing and refining facilities.

Shehbaz Sharif declared that "Your safety is our safety," and pledged to address concerns and facilitate investment in the mining and minerals sector. He stressed that Pakistan must move beyond exporting unprocessed resources and establish facilities to convert raw materials into finished and semi-finished products, generating greater economic value, employment, technical expertise and technology transfer.

Referring to a Goldman Sachs projection that Pakistan could become the world's sixth-largest economy by 2075, the Prime Minister said he hoped the country would achieve the milestone earlier than 2050.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, also inaugurated the National Minerals Data Centre and the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) GeoPortal.

The digital platforms are designed to improve access to geological information, support mineral exploration, reduce uncertainty for investors and facilitate informed investment decisions.

In his address, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir said Pakistan's ambition extends beyond exporting raw minerals to developing the complete value chain domestically, including refining and manufacturing.

He described turning the country's mineral wealth into tangible economic gains as a collective national goal and stressed that communities in mineral-rich areas must benefit directly from mining projects.

The Field Marshal called for long-term partnerships that generate lasting value for Pakistan and its partners, urging the country to move "from potential to production, from promises to action, and from raw exports to value-added growth". He said Pakistan's resources offer opportunities, while its people remain the strength needed to turn them into results.

A major announcement during the forum came from the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), which announced an estimated 350 million tonnes of copper in the Dasht-e-Kain area of Chagai, Balochistan, based on approximately half of its drilling data analysed so far. The announcement highlighted the exploration potential of Pakistan and added to the range of investment opportunities presented during the forum.

Mari Minerals announced the discovery of its first-ever gold and copper reserves in Chagai. The reserves have the potential to contain around one billion tonnes of copper and gold. The National Resources Limited (NRL) announced a hundred million dollars investment in Pakistan's mineral sector.

Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik outlined Pakistan's push into critical minerals like copper, gold, lithium, and antimony, emphasizing domestic refining, advanced geological mapping, and infrastructure upgrades like the Rohri-Nokundi railway to link mineral hubs globally.

OGDC President Ahmed Hayat Lak celebrated the success of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in forging international partnerships and launching digital data portals, stressing that execution, technical excellence and transparent policies are vital to turning mineral wealth into lasting economic progress.

Global mining leaders, including executives from Barrick Mining, Ivanhoe Mines, and Minmetals, shared international insights on policy certainty and regional cooperation during high-level strategic dialogues.

Diverse conference sessions covered AI exploration, infrastructure security, and environmental standards, complemented by an international exhibition where participants signed 13 major agreements and MoUs before concluding with an invitation to the next forum in November 2027.