Report by Engineering Post
Pakistan is making brisk preparations for hosting the Second Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in Islamabad in the second week of April 2026. The event will feature a Strategic Conference, Technical Sessions, International Gemstone Exhibition and a resource library for the prospective investors from abroad and within the country.
Ahead of the upcoming important event, the federal government was effectively introducing policy reforms for unlocking the investment in the country’s largely under-developed mineral and gemstone sector. Reform among others focus on empowering local miners and entrepreneurs through skills development, adoption of modern technology, improved market access, fair pricing and collaboration with global industry players for enhancing product quality and export potential.
In this regard, the federal government has already introduced a national policy framework for gemstones, targeting $ 1 billion in exports over a period of five years.
Pakistan holds deposits of copper, gold, lithium, cobalt, rare earths and gemstones but somehow exports have remained minimal and benefits to local communities limited. Country’s minerals rich regions including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balohistan and Gilgit-Baltistan remain unexplored despite major assets such as the Reko Diq site which contains more than$ 5.9 billion tonnes of ore. Official sources, on being contacted, pointedly stated that effective utilization could generate billion of dollars and create thousands of jobs.
