Pakistan’s treasures

Several mineral-rich countries, including Pakistan, remain economically underdeveloped despite their vast natural wealth. Poor governance, corruption, political instability, resource-related conflicts and mismanagement have hindered their ability to harness these resources for national prosperity. Pakistan possesses immense reserves of coal, copper, gold, chromite, mineral salt, aluminium ore and gemstones. Sadly, despite 77 years of independence, the country has failed to develop the expertise or technology needed to extract, refine and monetise these resources effectively. Instead, these treasures are often offered to foreign corporations for exploration and export, yielding minimal returns for Pakistan.

This reliance on external entities deprives the nation of fair market value for its assets, which could otherwise generate billions in revenue. There are also concerns that vested interests may be deliberately sidelining local professionals in surveying, mining and refining. By not investing in domestic capacity, Pakistan perpetuates a cycle of dependency, losing out on both economic growth and long-term self-sufficiency.

M Khalid Kamal

Islamabad