ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will seek to attract global investment and expand mining partnerships at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) on November 12–13, with international industry leaders, financial institutions and policymakers set to discuss opportunities across the country’s mineral value chain.
The forum will be held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad and is being organised by the Government of Pakistan with the endorsement of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) is the founding partner of the event.
Building on the engagement generated by the 2025 edition, PMIF26 aims to translate international interest in Pakistan’s mineral resources into investment commitments, joint ventures and projects involving exploration, processing and sustainable mining.
The forum comes at a time when critical minerals are gaining strategic importance for the global energy transition, advanced manufacturing and emerging technologies. Pakistan intends to use the event to showcase its mineral potential, highlight investment policies and strengthen cooperation with international companies and technical institutions.
Ahmed Hayat Lak, managing director and chief executive officer of OGDC and president of PMIF, said the forum would connect Pakistan’s mineral resources with global investment, expertise and technology. He said OGDC was already a joint venture partner in the Reko Diq project and aimed to expand its presence in the minerals and mining sector through cooperation with international partners.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are among the key speakers listed for the forum. Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik is scheduled to deliver the welcome address on the opening day.
International speakers include John L. Thornton, chairman of Barrick Mining Corporation; Robert Friedland, founder and executive co-chairman of Ivanhoe Mines; representatives of Wood Mackenzie and the Asian Development Bank; and Mustafa Aksoy, chief executive officer of Çalık Group. Representatives of the World Bank Group, Reko Diq Mining Company, Lazard, Weir, Milbank and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources are also expected to participate.
The two-day strategic conference will examine investment-ready mining jurisdictions, critical minerals, financing for early-stage exploration, workforce development, women’s participation in mining and the development of new mining projects. Discussions will also cover geological survey cooperation, infrastructure, export corridors, environmental and social considerations, and the development of domestic technical capabilities.
A separate technical conference will feature more than 50 peer-reviewed technical papers, geological survey data, technology benchmarking and a workshop on Pakistan’s innovation potential in critical minerals mining.
An international exhibition will bring together project developers, investors, equipment manufacturers, technology providers and other industry stakeholders. It will include project showcases, procurement briefings and a Mineral Expo featuring rare mineral specimens. A European Pavilion will also provide a platform for exploring international partnerships and investment opportunities.
Participating organisations listed by the organisers include the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, Allied Engineering & Services, National Resources, Frontier Works Organization, Mari Energies, Barrick Mining Corporation, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Government Holdings, Reko Diq Mining Company and Pakistan Minerals Private Limited.
The 2025 edition of the forum brought together 5,000 delegates from more than 50 countries and featured 16 memoranda of understanding and agreements, alongside 18 panel discussions, according to the information released by the organisers.
PMIF26 aims to build on that participation by strengthening Pakistan’s links with global mining and investment networks. However, the forum’s longer-term economic impact will depend on whether discussions and agreements translate into actual investment, commercially viable projects, local employment, stronger infrastructure and responsible mineral development.