ISLAMABAD: Managing Director Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) Ahmed Hayat Lak has said that Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF) 2026 has emerged as a significantly bigger event compared to last year, reflecting growing international interest in Pakistan’s mineral potential and investment opportunities.
Talking to media, he said that companies from the United States, China, Canada and the European Union established their pavilions at the two-day forum, showcasing their interest in Pakistan’s mineral sector. Despite doubling the exhibition space, the organisers were unable to accommodate all companies seeking participation, he added.
Ahmed Hayat said the government had successfully aligned the regulatory and legal framework governing the mineral sector, while stability in the licensing regime under the regulatory and policy framework was producing positive results.
He maintained that improvements in the policy framework had encouraged foreign investors to demonstrate seriousness towards investment in Pakistan, with international companies keen to explore and capitalise on opportunities available in the country’s mineral market.
The OGDCL managing director said that 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements were signed during the two-day Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, including several arrangements relating to investment in the mineral sector.
He said the Geological Survey of Pakistan had also entered into agreements with geological surveys of different countries, which would help strengthen cooperation in geological research and mineral exploration.
Referring to the participation of Barrick’s global group chairman and its international team in the forum, Ahmed Hayat said the company was committed to completing the Reko Diq project on a fast-track basis.
He said a project development strategy for Reko Diq was being formulated with the objective of ensuring efficient cost management managing timely completion of the project.
The OGDCL managing director said that the engagement of global mining giant Ivanhoe Minerals with Pakistan’s mineral company through an agreement was another positive development for the country’s mining sector.
He said Pakistan had demonstrated through a major project like Reko Diq that international investors could invest in the country with confidence and that their investments were secure.
Ahmed Hayat disclosed that the US Export-Import Bank (US EXIM) had expressed willingness to provide $1.3 billion in project financing for Reko Diq, while several other major international banks had also indicated their readiness to participate in the financing of the project.
He said Pakistan’s mineral sector was now moving towards a positive narrative of investment, development and economic growth.
“From now onwards, it is a positive story and a story of growth,” he said.
