Pakistan’s mineral wealth moved to the centre of the country’s economic diplomacy on Sunday, as more than 70 Chinese companies gathered in Islamabad for the Pak China Mineral Forum — with a new digital mining platform launched, memorandums of understanding signed, and a Kazakh group separately announcing a $20 million gold-mining investment in Gilgit-Baltistan.
A full house in Islamabad
The Pak China Mineral Forum was held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad on Sunday 8 November, organised by the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan (CCCPK). More than 800 people attended, including representatives of over 70 Chinese companies and more than 100 Pakistani companies, in a sign of how quickly minerals have climbed the agenda of the two countries’ economic relationship.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal attended as chief guest, alongside China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Board of Investment Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh. The forum comes as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relations, and Iqbal pointed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s record as the foundation for the next phase of cooperation.
Ambassador Jiang reaffirmed China’s strong interest in investing in Pakistan’s mining sector. He noted that the Saindak Copper-Gold Project alone has trained more than 5,200 local employees, and said China would keep backing what he called “small and beautiful projects” as part of broader development cooperation.
Wang Huihua, chairman of the chamber, said mining and minerals were emerging as a new pillar of engagement, and that the chamber would keep facilitating structured dialogue and responsible investment between Chinese and Pakistani enterprises.
What the forum actually delivered
The headline deliverable at the Pak China Mineral Forum was the launch of the Pak–China E-Mining Platform, a digital initiative designed to improve information sharing, project connectivity and cooperation between Pakistani authorities and Chinese enterprises.
Several memorandums of understanding were also signed. Wah Nobel (Pvt) Ltd and JW Corporation each signed a “Framework for Cooperation to Explore Opportunities in Digital Cross-Border Industrial Trade” with MCCT International. A separate mineral-sector memorandum was signed between the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, POWERCHINA International and Pak China Investment Company, covering investment facilitation, technical cooperation and joint development.
Board of Investment Minister Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said hundreds of Pakistani private companies had already engaged with Chinese counterparts.
Why minerals matter now
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik set out the government’s direction: responsible, value-added mineral development, stronger regulation and sustainable mining aligned with international standards. The push comes as global demand for critical minerals rises with the energy transition, and Pakistan looks to turn its geology into exports and jobs.
A wider trade deficit has underlined the need for new export earnings, while IT exports have shown how quickly a sector can grow. Minerals could offer a similar opportunity — provided the value is added in Pakistan rather than shipped out as raw ore.
Malik pointed to working examples already on the ground — the Saindak Copper-Gold Project, the Duddar Lead-Zinc Project and the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company — and said collaboration was growing in new copper-gold prospects. He also highlighted the partnership between the Geological Survey of Pakistan and the China Geological Survey, working together since 2010 and completing nationwide geochemical sampling to map the country’s mineral potential.
Malik formally invited Chinese companies to the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, which takes place at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad on 12–13 November.
More money on the table
The Board of Investment said Kazakhstan’s Elaman Group intends to invest $20 million immediately in placer gold mining projects in Gilgit-Baltistan. The group has completed preliminary studies of the region, finalised a joint venture with local partners, and plans to bring in modern mining technology developed with Chinese counterparts.
Global mining technology group Weir will attend the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum as a platinum sponsor, with its chief executive Andrew Neilson expected in Islamabad for the 12–13 November event.
That investment gathering, days later, will feature the prime minister, the field marshal, and the heads of Ivanhoe Mines and Barrick among the confirmed speakers, with Reko Diq among the flagship developments on show.
For Pakistan, the test of this week’s activity will be whether the memorandums signed at the Pak China Mineral Forum become mines, jobs and exports.
Sources: Press Information Department (PID) — Pak–China Mineral Cooperation Forum release and PID — Elaman Group / Board of Investment release.
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