Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has promised local and foreign investors a secure, business-friendly environment in the province. He said the government is determined to attract money into its mineral and energy sectors. He spoke on Thursday at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 in Islamabad.
Bugti said federal and provincial authorities, together with the security forces, had both the ability and the resolve to protect investors. The forum is being held with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Its aim is to draw domestic and foreign capital by showcasing the country’s mineral reserves and resources that have not yet been tapped.
Chief minister seeks to ease fears over security
Bugti said security was not the main obstacle for investors. He argued that the gap between perception and reality was the real challenge, and that perception tends to spread much faster than the facts.
He said Balochistan is different from the picture often shown on television. According to him, the people of the province welcome investors and want them to explore opportunities there. He urged domestic and international partners to step forward and repeated the government’s commitment to a secure environment.
“One thing an investor wants first is security, which I guarantee,” he said. He extended that assurance on behalf of the security forces, the federal government and the people of Balochistan.
Reko Diq, Saruna and a planned fertiliser city
Bugti said the province has significant reserves of minerals, oil and gas, and that positive developments were expected in the coming months. He said the Reko Diq project was expected to begin operations by 2029, which he described as a major example of the province’s mineral potential.
He also pointed to Saruna, claiming its oil and gas reservoirs were larger than those at Sui. He said Sui had supplied energy to Pakistan for more than 70 years. Bugti further announced that the provincial government, with federal support, planned to build a fertiliser city in Sui, citing the low-BTU gas available in the area. He invited investors to take part and said the province would provide security, civic facilities and other necessary support.
One-window system and mining law aimed at investors
Bugti told investors they would not face bureaucratic hurdles in the province. He said the government had introduced a one-window operation system to make investment easier. He added that the Balochistan Mines and Minerals Act had passed the provincial assembly with consensus among the parties represented there, and that it fits the wider framework across Pakistan.
He said the provincial government was ready to work alongside investors and help develop Balochistan’s mineral resources. His remarks came during the two-day forum, which brings together government officials, international investors, mining executives and industry experts. Sessions cover mineral exploration, project financing, mining infrastructure, international partnerships and the training of the mining workforce.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was briefed ahead of the event on diplomatic outreach and operational preparations. These included arrangements to host visiting international delegations and global mining companies.
