Pakistan Plans Domestic Mineral Processing to Boost Value Chain, Says Ishaq Dar

Pakistan intends to move beyond exporting raw minerals by building domestic facilities to process, refine and manufacture mineral products, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday. Speaking at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad, he said the government aims to develop the entire mineral value chain, from mining and technology to processing plants, energy, transportation and logistics.

Dar said the country's mineral strategy would no longer centre on extracting resources and shipping them abroad, but on creating domestic industrial capacity. According to him, this approach could open opportunities for Pakistani firms in engineering, equipment manufacturing, specialised services and related industries, helping to broaden the industrial base.

The deputy prime minister pointed to Pakistan's copper and gold potential along the Tethyan Metallogenic Belt in the west of the country. He also listed iron ore, chromite, lead, zinc, coal, rock salt, marble, gypsum and gemstones among the country's mineral resources.

He said rising global demand for copper and other critical minerals, driven by electric vehicles, battery storage, clean energy and advanced technologies, has created an opening for Pakistan to attract international investment. The Reko Diq copper-gold project in Balochistan was cited as an example of how foreign expertise, federal participation and provincial ownership can support large-scale mining ventures.

The government's stated goal is to use mineral development to diversify exports, expand domestic manufacturing and strengthen Pakistan's industrial base. The strategy is expected to be closely watched by investors and businesses looking at opportunities in mining, processing and the supporting services sector.