Pakistan, Germany eye deeper cooperation in mining, energy sectors

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Germany on Tuesday signalled a push towards stronger collaboration in mining, minerals and energy as German Ambassador to Pakistan Ina Lepel met Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik in Islamabad.

During the meeting at the Ministry of Energy, Lepel praised Pakistan’s growing appeal to global investors, noting that international interest in the country’s mineral wealth was on the rise. She described the Reko Diq copper-gold project as a “crucial test case” for future foreign investment and underscored the potential for technical cooperation between the Geological Survey of Pakistan and Germany’s Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). She also recalled Germany’s previous assistance in mapping geohazards in the region.

Malik said the government is working to modernise the sector by promoting sustainable and mechanized mining practices. He characterized Reko Diq as a “torchbearer” for responsible, large-scale mining in Pakistan. Building on the momentum of the recent Pakistan Mineral Summit, he said an expanded Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum is planned to further highlight opportunities to global investors.

The talks also expanded into the energy domain. Malik highlighted Pakistan’s refinery upgradation programme, calling it central to improving domestic fuel quality and aligning with Germany’s priorities on decarbonisation and green transition. He added that Pakistan’s recent offshore exploration bidding round, its first in nearly two decades, marked a “new era” for investment in the upstream sector.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Pakistan-Germany strategic partnership and agreed to pursue concrete avenues for investment, technology transfer and knowledge sharing.