- E-Mining platform to promote transparency and efficiency in the mining sector.
- Pakistan invites China to invest in copper, gold and rare earth minerals.
- “Mining development will include benefits for KP, Balochistan: minister”.
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan-China partnership has entered a new era, which is not limited to infrastructure alone but focuses on production, exports, employment and sustainable development. The news reported on Thursday.
Addressing the China-Pakistan Mining Cooperation Forum on Wednesday, he said that on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, this partnership has become a shining example of continuity, trust and strategic depth.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has completely changed the development scenario of Pakistan through energy, roads, Gwadar port and national connectivity.
Pakistan and China launched the “Pakistan-China E-Mining Platform”, a digital initiative aimed at enhancing information sharing, project connectivity and cooperation between Pakistani authorities and Chinese companies.
The platform also aims to unlock over $10 billion in investments in Pakistan’s mining sector.
Ahsan Iqbal said that CPEC 2.0 is fully compatible with Pakistan’s national economic transformation framework, “Uraan Pakistan”, which aims to create a trillion-dollar economy by 2035.
He said that during the recent visit to China, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to link Ukraine’s five tracks with President Xi Jinping’s Five Growth Corridors, which will create synergy in planning, investment and implementation.
The minister said that the mining sector is key to achieving Uraan Pakistan’s export target. Pakistan’s mineral resources are worth around $6 trillion, but mineral exports are currently only $2 billion a year.
He said that through better governance, modern technology and international partnerships, mineral exports can increase to between $6 billion and $8 billion a year and millions of employment opportunities can be created.
He said it is the need of the hour to expand mining cooperation with China beyond extraction and into value addition, processing, smelting and refining.
Projects such as Saindak, Dodar and Thar are successful examples of this cooperation, while recent investment agreements reflect growing confidence in the sector.
He emphasized that mining development must be sustainable, environmentally friendly and based on regional inclusion so that resource-rich regions like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can reap real benefits in terms of employment, education and healthcare facilities.
He clarified that protection of Chinese citizens and investments is the top priority of the Government of Pakistan and effective measures are being taken for this purpose under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
He said Pakistan invites China to invest in copper, gold, rare earth minerals and other key minerals so that mineral wealth can be transformed into industrial strength, export competitiveness and shared prosperity.
The minister made a direct appeal to China to open its vast import market, saying even a small trade quota could get the country out of repeated IMF bailouts. He said annual imports from China are around $2 trillion and a modest share for Pakistan could transform Pakistan’s economy.
He said Pakistan’s exports to China could rise from about $3 billion today to $50 billion in 2035, easing currency pressure and supporting long-term growth. […] Pakistan could avoid repeated IMF bailouts. Uraan Pakistan provides a clear roadmap to build a trillion-dollar economy by 2035 and is based on the Five Ways (5E): Exports, e-Pakistan and Knowledge Economy, Environment and Climate Change, Energy and Infrastructure, and Equality, Empowerment and Ethics.
He said this synergy was taken to a new strategic level during the recent high-level visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to China.
“I had the honor of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) through which the Five E’s of Uraan Pakistan were formally linked to the Five Corridors of Growth and Development proposed by President Xi Jinping. This MoU provides a systematic framework to align Pakistan’s national reform and export agenda with China’s development vision under the Belt and Road Initiative, so that planning, investment and implementation are fully aligned.
“The visit was not merely symbolic but highly significant. Hundreds of business entities from both countries participated in the large-scale B2B conference held during the visit, which resulted in the signing of several MoUs and trade agreements in various sectors including minerals, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, IT and logistics.”
The Pakistan-China E-Mining Platform is expected to improve transparency, efficiency and collaboration in the development of Pakistan’s mining sector. The e-mining platform was launched during the Pakistan-China Mineral Cooperation Forum organized by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan.
More than 70 Chinese companies, more than 100 Pakistani companies and around 800 participants attended the forum, reflecting strong interest from both sides in deepening cooperation in the mining sector. Delivering the keynote address, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong reaffirmed China’s strong interest in investing in Pakistan’s mining sector and supporting capacity development and technological advancement.
He highlighted the importance of sustainability and international construction standards in mining projects, noting that these efforts had been recognized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy.
He said responsible mining could improve resource utilization and promote harmonious relations with local communities, adding that the Saindak project alone had trained more than 5,200 local employees. A major milestone of the forum was the launch of the Pakistan-China e-mining platform.
