Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for a shift in Pakistan’s mineral sector from exporting raw resources to developing domestic processing and manufacturing industries, saying the country’s mineral wealth must translate into greater economic opportunities at home.
PM calls for shift from raw mineral exports to domestic processing
ISLAMABAD, Nov 13 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for a shift in Pakistan’s mineral sector from exporting raw resources to developing domestic processing and manufacturing industries, saying the country’s mineral wealth must translate into greater economic opportunities at home.
Addressing the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2026, the prime minister reiterated his commitment to ending the practice of shipping unprocessed minerals abroad, and said that Pakistan must move towards value addition by strengthening its downstream industries.
“The chapter of shipping Pakistan’s precious minerals out of the country in a raw form must be closed forever,” he said, renewing his commitment to ensuring that the country’s mineral resources are fully utilised within Pakistan.
He expressed confidence that the day was not far when the export of raw minerals would come to a complete halt and Pakistan’s valuable mineral resources would instead serve as a foundation for domestic industrial development.
The prime minister urged foreign investors to establish mineral processing and manufacturing facilities in Pakistan rather than limiting their investments to extraction activities.
He emphasised that projects, including Reko Diq and other developments along the Tethyan Copper Belt, should contribute to establishing refineries, cement plants, and cable and conductor manufacturing industries.
He called upon the investors to “mine, process and manufacture in Pakistan” before exporting to the rest of the world.
He described the approach as the government’s vision for a fair and mutually beneficial partnership with international investors.
PM Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the development of Reko Diq as one of the world’s largest untapped copper and gold deposits, where production is expected to commence in 2028.
The project, which remained stalled for nearly two decades, is now moving towards operational implementation, he added.
The prime minister said transforming mineral resources into finished and semi-finished products would create greater economic opportunities, strengthen local industries and ensure that Pakistan receives maximum benefits from its natural wealth.
He also stressed the importance of technology transfer, vocational training, local suppliers and skilled workforce development to ensure that mining investments contribute to sustainable economic progress.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to facilitating foreign investment, he assured simplification of procedures, elimination of bureaucratic hurdles and ensuring transparent policies.
He said Pakistan’s mineral wealth should become a driver of industrialisation, local employment and shared prosperity rather than remain limited to the export of unprocessed natural resources.
The prime minister acknowledged the contributions of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and his team, as well as Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and his team, for their efforts in organising the forum and advancing Pakistan’s minerals and mining sectors.
He said their support and commitment helped place the country’s mineral resources at the centre of its economic vision and brought international investors and key stakeholders together on a common platform.
