Unlocking ‘$6tr in mineral resources’: Harmonised national framework set to be launched on April 9

Pakistan is endowed with vast mineral resources, including copper, iron, gold, marble, and gypsum

By Our Correspondent
March 28, 2025
A Pakistani worker collects salt stones to be loaded onto a truck outside the Khewra salt mine in Khewra. — AFP/File
A Pakistani worker collects salt stones to be loaded onto a truck outside the Khewra salt mine in Khewra. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first-ever National Minerals Harmonisation Framework 2025 is set to be launched by the government at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25), scheduled for April 8-9 in Islamabad.

The framework aims at streamlining mining regulations across the provinces and ensuring a structured and investor-friendly mineral policy to attract both domestic and foreign investment. Pakistan is endowed with vast mineral resources, including copper, iron, gold, marble, and gypsum, with an estimated total value exceeding US$6 trillion.

The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 will serve as a platform to showcase these untapped resources to global investors, industry leaders, and policymakers, said a press release. The federal government, in collaboration with provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), has devised the framework to create a uniform regulatory structure. It focuses on safety, environmental sustainability, and efficient resource extraction while fostering strategic international partnerships in the mining sector.

To boost foreign direct investment (FDI), the framework offers tax incentives for mineral exploration projects, fast-tracked licensing procedures and a well-defined dispute resolution mechanism. With the backing of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the initiative aims to position Pakistan as a preferred mining destination.

The PMIF25 will highlight policy reforms, infrastructure advancements, and investment-friendly initiatives. With strategic partnerships and modernised regulations, Pakistan aims to position itself as a global leader in sustainable mining and resource development.