Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has said Pakistan wants to move beyond exporting raw minerals and develop its own refining and manufacturing industries to generate greater economic value.

Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) in Islamabad, the Chief of Defence Forces said transforming the country’s mineral wealth into economic growth was a shared national goal.

He said Pakistan aimed to develop the entire mineral value chain locally, from extraction and refining to manufacturing finished products.

Local Communities to Benefit From Mineral Wealth

Asim Munir stressed that mineral development must also improve the lives of people living in resource-rich areas.

He said Pakistan wanted to establish long-term partnerships that deliver lasting economic benefits for the country and its investment partners.

He described Pakistanis as hardworking, brave and determined, saying the country’s resources offered opportunities while its people provided the strength to turn them into results.

He also called for a shift from exploration potential to actual production, from promises to implementation, and from exporting raw materials to producing value-added goods.

Pakistan Wants to Move Beyond Raw Mineral Exports

Exporting unprocessed minerals generates less value than refining them or manufacturing finished products locally.

Developing domestic refining and manufacturing facilities could help Pakistan create jobs, increase exports and retain a larger share of mineral-related earnings within the country.

The remarks came as several new mineral discoveries were announced at the two-day forum being held on November 12 and 13.

At the same event, the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) announced an estimated 350 million tons of copper discovery in the Dasht-e-Kain area of Chagai, based on half of its drilling data.

The Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 follows the inaugural edition held in 2025 and aims to attract domestic and international investment into the country’s mining sector.