ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has attracted more than 5,000 attendees from over 60 countries to its international minerals investment forum in Islamabad which could help bring foreign investment into the country’s mining sector. The two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) opened on Thursday, November 12, with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar inaugurating the event and its international exhibition.
Addressing the gathering, Dar said Pakistan had significant potential in copper, gold, iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, rock salt, marble, gypsum and gemstones. He delved into the country’s copper and gold deposits along the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt and mentioned Reko Diq project in Balochistan as an example of international cooperation in the mining sector. He said mineral development had become a national economic priority, with the government seeking to diversify exports, strengthen the industrial base and attract domestic and foreign investment.
Finance Minister’s Pitch Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Pakistan’s fiscal deficit had fallen to a 22-year low, while the country had recorded primary surpluses for three consecutive years. He also highlighted foreign exchange reserves of $21.5 billion, equivalent to more than three months of import cover. Aurangzeb said mining could become a major contributor to economic growth, exports and investment.