Islamabad : Mushahid Hussain Syed in his speech highlighted the issue of licensing and legal difficulties faced by mining companies in Pakistan. He also emphasized that there should be accurate empirical data on mineral wealth in Pakistan to help the mining sector. He suggested that mining and mineral extraction permits should be given to mineral experts and institutions.
Karachi Council of Foreign Relations (KCFR) in association with Sindh Department of Investment organized a seminar on “Exploring Pakistan’s Mineral Wealth: Navigating Global Dynamics to Monetize Pakistan’s Untapped Mineral Wealth”. The first session of the seminar was “Unlocking the Potential: Assessing Pakistan’s Mineral Reserves” and the second session was “Building Strategic Partnerships: Identifying Opportunities for Collaboration with International Partners”. The event was generously sponsored by Pathfinder Group of Companies.
In his opening remarks, Commodore Sadeed A. Malik, Member of the Board of Governors, KCFR, thanked the Chief Guest, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, delegates from various embassies and other participants for attending the seminar, on behalf of KCFR Chairperson Ms. Nadira Panjwani. He also thanked Pathfinder Group and Sindh Investment Department for making the event possible.
The first session was moderated by Ms. Saira Ijaz, Senior Editor, Strategic Studies Institute Islamabad (SSI). Dr. Sajjad Ahmed, Director General, Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) was the keynote speaker for the first session. Other panelists were; Mr. Shamsuddin A. Shaikh, Chairman, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), Dr. Syed Akhtar Hussain Shah, Former Member and Joint Secretary, Pakistan Implementation Planning Commission and Dr. Abbass Ali Naseem, Associate Professor, Department of Earth Sciences (QAU).
Dr. Sajjad Ahmed spoke about the wealth of mineral resources in different regions of Pakistan and highlighted the importance of minerals like copper, lithium, polonium and other rare earth minerals. He also highlighted GSP efforts regarding Pakistan’s mineral wealth. ; Mr. Shamsuddin A. Shaikh spoke about the mining sector and highlighted PMDC’s mining related efforts. He also spoke about the lack of investment in the mineral and mining sector in Pakistan, despite the country having plenty of minerals. He emphasized the need for investment in the mining and mineral sector.
Dr. Syed Akhtar Hussain Shah discussed the current shortcomings in the sub-optimal exploitation of mineral resources across various sectors including the government and the private sector. He also dealt with strategies aimed at increasing the productivity and overall contribution of the mineral sector. In addition, he emphasized the importance of ensuring that policies and practices in the mineral sector are aligned with international climate change policies.
The second session was moderated by Dr. Abbas Ali Naseem. Mr. Mushahid Hussain Syed was the keynote speaker of the second session and was also the chief guest of the seminar. Other panelists were: Dr. Brig Raashid Wali Janjua, Director of Research at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), Dr. Afsah Qazi, Assistant Professor, Department of Strategic Studies, Air University, Islamabad and Ambassador Nadeem Riyaz.
The Chief Guest, Mushahid Hussain Sayed said, “Pakistan’s potential is being blocked by the absence of policies and stressed that the government should create workable and implementable policies regarding mining and mineral sector.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed then linked the security situation in Pakistan with the development of the mineral sector and minimal foreign investment in the extraction of these minerals. He said that by being a safe state, Pakistan can attract foreign investment in the mining and mineral sector and the government must work on this and make policies accordingly. He appreciated Pathfinder Group and Ikram Sehgal for their initiative to support such events which is the need of the hour. Private-public partnerships can play a significant role in development. He also shed light on the role of Sindh Investment Department and their contributions.
Ambassador Nadeem Riaz spoke about diplomacy in the mining sector and exploitation of Pakistan’s mineral resources. He highlighted regional challenges, international environmental norms, technological advancements and legal challenges facing Pakistan’s mineral sector. He also spoke about the importance of mineral wealth exploration and its relationship to mineral diplomacy with other regional and international countries. He proposed conflict prevention and resolution, international agreements on minerals and mining, infrastructure development and regulation and environmental protection as the way forward for the growth of Pakistan’s mineral sector.
Dr. Brig Raashid Wali Janjua highlighted the internal and external security challenges facing Pakistan while discussing the prospects and potential of the mineral sector as well as the way forward. He emphasized the need to ensure internal stability as a prerequisite for attracting foreign investment in the mineral resources sector.
Dr. Afzah Qazi emphasized the vital role of strategic partnerships for Pakistan’s untapped mineral potential, which is influenced by the preferences of political elites. She also emphasized the importance of the shift from raw material exports to value-added goods for economic prosperity. In addition, she emphasized that collaboration with international partners must prioritize capacity building and value enhancement in order to succeed in the global mineral market.
