ISLAMABAD: The World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and leading international mining companies are expected to participate in the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26), scheduled for November 12–13 in Islamabad, as Pakistan seeks to attract foreign investment and develop its mineral resources.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Organised by the government and endorsed by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the two-day forum will bring together policymakers, investors, financial institutions, technical experts and mining industry executives to explore investment opportunities, strategic partnerships and commercially viable projects.
Prominent participants are expected to include John L. Thornton, chairperson of Barrick Mining Corporation; Robert Friedland, founder and executive co-chairperson of Ivanhoe Mines; and Mustafa Aksoy, chief executive of Calik Group. Representatives of the World Bank Group, ADB, Wood Mackenzie, Reko Diq Mining Company, Lazard and other international organisations will also attend.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are among the key speakers. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik will deliver the welcome address on the opening day.
Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) is the forum’s founding partner, while its Managing Director and Chief Executive Ahmed Hayat Lak is serving as PMIF president. Lak said Pakistan had substantial mineral resources and an investment framework aimed at facilitating international partnerships.
He added that OGDCL, already a joint venture partner in the Reko Diq project, intended to expand its presence in the mining sector through cooperation with international investors.
The forum will also feature a technical programme comprising more than 50 peer-reviewed papers, geological survey data, technology assessments and a workshop on innovation opportunities in critical minerals mining.
Exhibitors will include Barrick Mining Corporation, Reko Diq Mining Company, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Mari Energies, Government Holdings (Pvt) Limited, Frontier Works Organisation, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and other industry stakeholders. A European pavilion will provide an additional platform for international cooperation.
Wood Mackenzie is the lead conference producer, while Milbank, White & Case and Lazard are among the knowledge partners. The forum aims to strengthen investor engagement, promote technical cooperation and support the development of Pakistan’s minerals and mining industry.
Story by Khalid Mustafa
