ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held a series of bilateral meetings with leading international mining companies and investors on the sidelines of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF), reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to attracting foreign investment and strengthening international partnerships in the minerals sector.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The minister held separate meetings with Mr. John Thornton, Chairman of Barrick Mining Corporation, accompanied by the company’s senior leadership; Mr. Andrew Neilson, Chief Executive of Scottish mining and engineering company Weir; Mr. Ibrahim El Gazzar, Head of Metals and Minerals (MENA) at Singapore-based Trafigura, along with his delegation; and Mr. Mustafa Aksoy, Chief Executive Officer of Türkiye’s Çalık Holding. He also met with a delegation led by Mr. Robert Friedland of Ivanhoe Mines.
During the meeting, Andrew Neilson expressed Weir’s interest in expanding its presence in Pakistan’s mining sector, noting that the company was keen to participate in additional projects beyond its existing involvement in Reko Diq.
Ibrahim El Gazzar conveyed Trafigura’s strong interest in Pakistan’s Zinc-Barite project and highlighted potential opportunities in the country’s LPG, bonded storage and refinery sectors.
Meanwhile, John Thornton described his visit to Pakistan as a pleasure, reflecting Barrick’s continued engagement with the country.
A key development during the engagements was the signing of an agreement between international mining company Ivanhoe Mines and Mari Minerals for the exploration of copper and gold deposits in Chagai district, Balochistan. The agreement provides for exploration activities to assess the region’s mineral potential and identify opportunities for developing its copper-gold resources.
The Federal Minister witnessed the signing ceremony and welcomed the growing interest of international mining companies in Pakistan. He emphasized that PMIF serves as an important platform for connecting global investors with investment opportunities, facilitating strategic partnerships and unlocking the country’s substantial mineral potential.
The meetings and agreement signing reflect growing international engagement with Pakistan’s minerals sector and efforts to explore new opportunities for investment, exploration and resource development.
