Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir NI (M) on Tuesday said Pakistan was poised to emerge as a leader in the global mineral economy.
“I firmly believe that Pakistan is ready to take a leading role in the international mineral economy,” the COAS stated while addressing the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum 2025.
Welcoming international institutions, he invited global stakeholders to bring their expertise to Pakistan, explore investment opportunities, and partner with us in developing the vast potential of our mineral resources.
He said there is dire need of engineers, geologists, operators, and skilled miners to explore Pakistan’s mineral wealth.
“That is why we are also sending students abroad for training to support the development of this sector,” he said.
Gen Asim said that currently, as many as 27 Pakistani students belonging to Balochistan were receiving training in mineral exploration in Zambia and Argentina. “Our aim is to develop skilled manpower and human resources specifically for the mineral sector,” he added.
The COAS said economic security has now emerged as a vital component of national security.
He assured that the Pak Army would ensure a robust security framework and proactive measures to protect the interests and confidence of partners and investors. “The development of both upstream and downstream mineral industries in Pakistan will be ensured,” he said.
Gen Asim stressed the importance of investing in refining and value addition in order to reduce costs and diversify markets in Pakistan. “With vast mineral reserves beneath our soil, skills in our hands, and a transparent mineral policy in place, there is no room for despair or inaction,” he observed.
The COAS urged, “Move forward and strive — for your country and yourselves. We, the Pakistani unanimously assure our partners and investors that it is our collective national aspiration to benefit from your expertise in developing our mineral wealth,” he said.
He also assured they could trust Pakistan as a reliable and confident partner.
Acknowledging the contribution of tribal elders of Balochistan, Gen Asim praised their role in promoting mining activities and fostering development and progress in the province. “Through collective efforts, Pakistan’s mineral sector can become a driver of regional development, prosperity, and sustainability for the common good,” he said.
feeling proud after a successful begging campaign.
Duffer
Munir Sir, kl sy koray wala ni araha, wo b please dekh den
Jahan se sona nikle ga waheen par koora dabaya jai ga. Intezar Karen pls.
Matlab, akhir kar AM ko ap ne kora qarar de hi dia
I think u r lack of knowledge sir, about minning O/W u wont claim…we r 100years behind all minning comps in d world But yes if we start early with Rekodick which i blv Barrack gold is in no hurry (bieng insider) so my humble request to start Rekodick ASAP enabling to attract more global comps to start exploring other minning opportunities and that will b a GAME CHANGER fr pak economy.gdluck
Since when has Military officials been considered as authority over minerals?
Military is incharge of security . And we have the worst security in the region. People feel unsafe. Maybe work on that kindly.
With all due respect
Since the military started taking advice from people who couldn’t even tell a rock from a mineral—like you, apparently.
Probably around when the war against terrorism started in Waziristan area. The terrorists were enriching minerals and exporting them until Pak Army invaded. However, instead of giving the control back to the government, Army has started protecting the assets themselves :)
Dear Chief
And kindly audit SANDAK and zinc and lead project (lasbela/balu) and we dont need IMF as they have looted our Mineral Wealth at 0cost (also bieng insider) in these projects .loyal Pakistan Army zindabaad
It’s very perturbing to see some derogatory comments below, which I’m sure are based on pessimism, illogical approach and ill founded preconceived ideas about state institutions. Please allow me to say, “this is not how the enlightened people think about their national institutions, natural resources and leadership when confronted with challenges”. History testifies that to equit successfully, a county’s leadership – both political, military – and people have to rise together and act in concert with each.
Bringing a country out of quagmire is no easy going! Mere name calling, finger pointing and blame gaming lead to nowhere but darkness and fanning of flames. Neither our culture, nor religion allow toeing that track.
I’ll urge respected readers to ponder upon an important aspect; would someone like to venture in such a volatile area and invest heavily without getting assurance on both physical and economic security? If the answer is “NO”,obviously, then to whom the foreign investors would like to trust the most?
The answer is again obvious, “PAKISTAN ARMY”.
If anyone else could do that, then why the government would have to bank upon the COAS to give that assurance himself?
That means, politically polarised people and vested interest may not trust the military leadership, but the foreign investors and those reigning the country’s affairs “DO”, as they don’t have any other choice!!