ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has invited local and foreign investors to explore the province’s mineral and energy resources, assuring them of a secure and business-friendly environment and pledging full government support for investment projects.
Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad on Thursday, Bugti said the federal and provincial governments, along with security forces, had both the capacity and commitment to protect investors.
He said the main challenge facing Balochistan was not security itself but the gap between the province’s public image and ground realities. The perception of insecurity, he added, often spread faster than facts.
“Balochistan is different from the picture shown on television,” Bugti said, adding that local communities welcomed investors and wanted them to explore the opportunities available in the province.
The forum, organised in collaboration with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), aims to showcase Pakistan’s mineral reserves and attract domestic and international investment.
Reko Diq expected to become operational by 2029
Bugti said Balochistan had substantial mineral, oil and gas resources and expected positive developments in these sectors in the coming months.
He said the Reko Diq project was expected to become operational by 2029, describing it as a major example of the province’s mineral potential.
The chief minister also highlighted oil and gas prospects in the Saruna area, claiming that its reserves were larger than those of the Sui gas field, which has supplied energy to Pakistan for more than seven decades. The claim was not independently verified.
Bugti said the provincial government, in cooperation with the federal government, was planning to establish a fertiliser industrial city in Sui, where the availability of low-BTU gas could support the project.
He invited investors to participate in the proposed initiative, assuring them of security, civic facilities and other necessary support.
One-window facility to remove bureaucratic hurdles
The chief minister said investors would not face unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles in Balochistan, adding that a one-window operation had been introduced to facilitate investment.
He said the Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act had been passed by the provincial assembly with the consensus of political parties represented in the house.
Bugti said the provincial government was ready to work with investors to develop the province’s mineral resources and provide all possible assistance.
Sindh invites investors to explore mineral resources
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also invited domestic and foreign investors to explore the province’s mineral resources, saying the government was offering transparent regulations, competitive business opportunities and simplified procedures.
He said the Sindh Investment Department provided guidance to investors through the Sindh Business One Stop Shop (SBOSS) portal, which serves as an initial point of contact for licensing and other regulatory requirements.
Shah said Pakistan was open for business and that turning mineral potential into economic gains required good governance and partnerships among federal and provincial governments, international financial institutions, mining companies and investors.
He stressed the need for sustainable and responsible development of mineral resources, saying the benefits should reach the people of Pakistan.
Maryam Nawaz announces financing of up to Rs5 billion
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced that investors in the province’s mining sector would be offered concessional financing of up to Rs5 billion, with the Punjab government paying the interest on the loans.
She said investors would also be provided land on subsidised leases to reduce their initial investment costs.
Maryam said investors would not have to wait for all approvals, certificates and licences before starting work, as the government would facilitate the required formalities alongside project implementation.
She said the Punjab Mines and Minerals Department’s revenue had increased from Rs10 billion to Rs40 billion over two and a half years.
The chief minister said Punjab had deposits of emerald, marble, granite, gold, gemstones, copper and pink salt. She also cited an estimated 261.5 million tonnes of iron ore in Chiniot district, which could be processed to produce steel.
Highlighting value addition, Maryam said the government was working to move beyond exporting raw pink salt and was supporting miners through interest-free financial assistance.
She also said surveys and studies were underway to assess gold deposits in the rivers of Punjab, particularly around Mianwali and Attock. The provincial government was seeking international partners to develop these resources.
Maryam added that the government would bear the cost of providing solar energy systems to investors. She also announced customs duty exemptions in a designated industrial zone in Quaidabad, Khushab district, with investors to receive refunds on the applicable amount.
The forum brought together Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and local and foreign investors.
