ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Energy Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has called for enhanced international collaboration to support the country’s energy transition and the responsible development of its critical mineral resources, the information ministry said on Tuesday.
Addressing the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) 2025 in Sydney, one of the world’s leading forums for the mining and resources sector, Malik urged global partners to engage with Pakistan in unlocking what he described as “new and promising frontiers” for sustainable investment.
“With strong political alignment, a suite of investor-friendly reforms, and its rich, untapped geological potential, Pakistan offers new and promising frontiers for responsible global partnerships,” Malik said, as quoted in the statement.
The minister’s remarks came during a session themed “Pakistan’s Energy Transition and Critical Minerals Development: Unlocking New Frontiers for Global Partnership.”
He outlined the government’s ambitions to position Pakistan as a key contributor to the global shift toward clean energy and climate resilience.
Malik emphasized Pakistan’s vast mineral wealth, including significant deposits of copper, lithium, and rare earth elements essential for green technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
“Pakistan is committed to developing these resources responsibly, aligning economic growth with environmental sustainability,” the minister noted.
Citing research by the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), the statement highlighted that the Reko Diq site in Balochistan contains an estimated 5.9 billion tons of ore, including about 0.41 billion tons of copper content, one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits in the world.
Despite contributing less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remains among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.
The statement noted that the Germanwatch Climate Risk Index ranked Pakistan first among the top ten nations facing severe climate vulnerabilities, with an estimated 765,000 lives lost and $4.2 trillion in direct economic losses between 1993 and 2022.
“This climate injustice underscores the urgency of Pakistan’s transition to cleaner energy systems,” Malik said. “It is vital for safeguarding our food and water security and ensuring long-term economic stability.”
The energy minister also pointed to Pakistan’s renewable energy targets and regulatory reforms as evidence of a strong policy environment designed to attract global investors. He invited international companies to explore opportunities in mining, renewable power, and sustainable infrastructure.
On the sidelines of the conference, Malik met with the Director General for Minerals from the Government of Western Australia, who briefed him on Australia’s mining sector and its contribution to national economic growth.
Malik, in turn, invited Australian companies to invest in Pakistan’s mining industry and collaborate on technology transfer and capacity-building initiatives.
“Pakistan’s mineral and energy sectors are open for responsible investment and partnership,” Malik said. “We welcome global stakeholders who share our vision for sustainability and innovation.”
