Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited American companies on Wednesday to take advantage of Pakistan’s mineral resources, highlighting the unknown potential of the sector and strategic value.
The prime minister made these comments during a meeting with an American delegation led by Erik Mayer, interim assistant secretary in the South Affairs Office and Central Asia, State Department of the United States. The delegation is visiting Islamabad to attend the Pakistan mineral investment forum.
Prime Minister Shehbaz welcomed the presence of the United States in the forum and emphasized that the mining sector remains a main investment priority for the country. He urged US companies to take advantage of the opportunities available for mutual benefit.
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to strengthen bilateral relations with the United States, particularly under the administration of President Trump, and emphasized collaboration in trade, investment and anti -terrorism.
Mayer congratulated Pakistan for organizing the forum successfully and recognized the scale of opportunities within the country’s mineral sector.
He expressed the US interest to deepen the economic commitment and the expansion of bilateral ties.
The meeting was also attended by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, the Minister of Economic Affairs, Ahsan Chema, the oil minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and the senior officials, including the special assistant Tariq Fatemi.
Previously, Prime Minister Shehbaz announced a renewed impulse to attract national and international investors to the Pakistan mineral sector, with the aim of unlocking their billion dollars estimated in unleashed reserves.
When heading to the Pakistan 2025 Mineral Investment Forum (PMIF25) in Islamabad on Tuesday, the prime minister expressed his confidence that taking advantage of the vast mineral wealth of the country could help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on global lenders, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He stressed the need to process and export semi-terminated and finished mineral products instead of sending raw materials abroad, saying that this change would offer greater economic value and create jobs.
The prime minister also urged that all future investment agreements include provisions for technology transfer, guaranteeing long -term profits and capabilities for the industrial sector of Pakistan.
