ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi urged need for a close, meaningful and effective collaboration among federal and provincial governments, local authorities and public and private sector to promote investment in mining and minerals sectors of country.

Addressing a meeting of various private and public sector stakeholders relating to exploration of minerals in Pakistan he said Pakistan is bestowed with enormous high-quality mineral resources, like coal, copper, gold, gemstones, silver and rare metals which needed to be explored and mined by employing information-technology-based modern mining tools and processes to realise full potential of mining sector of country to bring visible change in socio-economic development.

He said that different parts of Pakistan were rich in minerals, oils, natural gas, rare metals and nuclear substances as well as precious metals, like gold, silver, copper, zinc and many other minerals of industrial use which, if exploited fully by creating state of art refining and metallurgical processes in country, could help Pakistan meet local demand of industry and would earn precious foreign exchange by exporting value-added mineral and metal products. 

He said that issues relating to licensing for mining processes needed to be evolved, exports of precious metal appliances and withholding taxation policy needed to be targeted for promoting exploration of this hidden wealth, besides following international standards and best practices of mining and exploration. President emphasised need for using satellite imagery technology and use of modern mineral detection, analysis and exploration technologies and training of relevant human resources in modern and safe mining methods to make mining processes efficient, effective and safe. He called upon stakeholders to conduct workshops and seminars to discuss and review existing policies and relevant laws, rules and procedures and identify the loopholes and develop a comprehensive set of proposals and recommendations for government to factor in while devising policies for growth and development of mining and mineral explorations in country. 

He also called for strengthening capability and effectiveness of border control to stop unlawful exports and import of mineral and metal-based products to protect local industry.   Senior officials of ministry of energy (petroleum division), ministry of commerce, federal board of revenue and government of Gilgit-Baltistan attended meeting.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 13 2022

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