RIYADH: Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef, at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh on Monday, the Pakistani Petroleum Ministry said.
The ministers agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the mining and minerals sector, the ministry added. Malik is leading Pakistan’s delegation to the FMF 2026 summit, which runs from January 13–15 and is expected to draw around 20,000 participants from governments, businesses, academic institutions, and trade associations from more than 160 countries.
At least 13 Pakistani companies from the mining and minerals sector are participating in the event.
Alkhorayef highlighted “vast opportunities” for collaboration and offered Saudi support for Pakistan’s mining industry through technical expertise and knowledge sharing. Malik also identified fertilizer production and medical device manufacturing as promising areas for joint ventures between the two countries.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a global leader in minerals and energy, investing in green technologies, sustainable mining practices, and international collaborations shaping the sector’s future.
Pakistan hosted its own minerals summit in April 2025, attracting major international companies including Barrick Gold, and officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, China, Türkiye, UK, Azerbaijan, and others. Islamabad also plans to organize a Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum this year to attract foreign investment.
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Strategically located in the Tethyan Belt, Pakistan is home to mineral-rich zones, including the Reko Diq copper-gold mine, one of the world’s largest, scheduled to begin production by 2028.
