Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal says Pakistan’s mineral exports have the potential to reach six to eight billion dollars annually within this decade through value addition.
Addressing Pak–China Mineral Cooperation Forum in Islamabad today, he said our objective is to move decisively beyond extraction, emphasizing that Pakistan seeks to develop mineral processing plants, smelters and refining facilities and mineral based industrial clusters linked with Special Economic Zones.
The Planning Minister said transformation of Pakistan’s mineral economy cannot happen without strategic partners and China’s role is central in this regard.
He said the future of Pakistan-China mineral cooperation lies in co-creating value through technology, innovation, human capital development and long term partnerships. With China as a trusted partner, we can convert mineral wealth into industrial strength, export competitiveness and shared prosperity.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan wants joint ventures that serve not only domestic demands but also regional and global markets.
The Minister for Planning reaffirmed that security and safety of Chinese nationals and investments remain a top national priority.
The Minister for Planning also mentioned that the second phase of CPEC is about translating connectivity into productivity and productivity into exports, jobs and sustainable growth. He hoped the second phase of CPEC will help Pakistan upgrade and modernize its agriculture, industries, technological capacity and human resource potential so that it can become a model of export led growth.
In his remarks on the occasion, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan with China’s support is positioning itself as a reliable and long term partner in the global mineral supply chain.
Highlighting Pakistan-China cooperation in mineral sector, the Minister for Petroleum invited the Chinese companies, service providers and equipment suppliers to deepen their engagement in Pakistan’s mineral sector and help build win win partnerships for both the countries.
