قومی ریئل اسٹیٹ خبریں

Islamabad | ReNews Pakistan
The International Monetary Fund has urged Pakistan to continue taking measures to ensure fiscal stability, manage the growing debt burden and contain the rising circular debt in the energy sector.

The IMF review mission visiting Pakistan has also called for alternative sources of revenue to compensate for any potential loss in government income if a reduction in the petroleum levy is proposed.

According to sources, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a virtual meeting with the visiting IMF review mission led by Eva Petrova for the completion of the fourth review under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility.

The Pakistani side assured the IMF that structural reforms would continue despite the start of the ongoing Gulf war. The government also indicated that the impact of higher fuel prices would be passed on to consumers, while targeted subsidies have been introduced to provide support to vulnerable segments of society.

The IMF expressed concern over Pakistan's rising debt burden, the growing volume of circular debt in the energy sector and the need to maintain continuity in structural reforms.

The Fund also stressed that tariff reforms under the National Tariff Plan should continue over the stipulated five year period. The implementation of the agreed tariff reform measures was discussed as part of the broader reform programme.

According to sources, the IMF also expressed concern over the government's failure to complete legislation relating to the sovereign wealth fund. Both sides may make further progress towards agreeing on a new deadline for the relevant structural benchmark so that approval can be obtained from Parliament within the current calendar year.

The discussions covered fiscal stability, energy sector circular debt, tariff reforms, petroleum levy, structural reforms and measures aimed at maintaining the agreed fiscal framework.

The Pakistani authorities reiterated their commitment to continuing the reform process and taking measures to meet the fiscal and structural targets under the Extended Fund Facility, while protecting vulnerable segments through targeted support.

Two major Pakistani companies, National Resources Limited (NRL) and Mari Energies Limited, have announced encouraging copper and gold discoveries in Balochistan’s mineral-rich Chagai district, highlighting the region’s potential for future mining investment and industrial development.

Addressing the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, NRL Chairman Muhammad Ali Tabba revealed that the company had identified copper-gold mineralisation at eight locations in the Darigwan area following approximately 25,000 metres of exploratory drilling. The discoveries extend across an area of about 5.6 square kilometres, adjoining NRL’s previously identified Tang Kaur copper-gold prospect. According to the company, one drill hole intersected a 295-metre mineralised section containing 0.43% copper and a reported gold grade of 0.13 grammes per tonne, while a 132-metre interval within the same section recorded a higher copper concentration of 0.83%. The findings indicate promising mineralisation, although further exploration and formal resource assessments are required to determine the size, economic viability and commercial development potential of the deposits.

NRL, a joint venture involving Fatima Fertilisers, Liberty Mills and Lucky Cement Limited, currently holds five mineral exploration licences in Balochistan, covering two copper-gold projects, one lead-zinc project and two antimony projects. Muhammad Ali Tabba said additional drilling and exploration under licence EL214 would help establish the extent of the newly identified mineral deposits. The company is working towards its first internationally compliant mineral resource estimate, while preliminary assessments prepared by an independent consultant have not yet been publicly released pending completion of the required reporting procedures. NRL plans to begin environmental, hydrogeological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies in 2027, with the objective of completing a bankable feasibility study by the end of the decade.

The chairman also reaffirmed the company’s previously announced $100 million commitment to mineral exploration in Pakistan and invited domestic and international investors, contractors and technical service providers to participate in emerging opportunities. To improve exploration efficiency, NRL has partnered with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) to develop an artificial intelligence-based predictive model using geological information and drilling data. The company aims to establish an integrated mineral development platform encompassing exploration, extraction, processing and value-added industrial activities.

Meanwhile, Mari Energies Limited announced a separate copper-gold discovery at the East Siah Diq (ESD-1) exploration target in Chagai district through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mari Minerals (Private) Limited. The discovery is situated approximately 50 kilometres east of the Reko Diq copper-gold project and 25 kilometres northwest of Nokkundi, in the Koh-i-Sultan area. Speaking at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026, Mari Energies Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Faheem Haider disclosed that the company had completed approximately 25,000 metres of exploratory drilling in two phases, with individual drill holes extending to depths of up to 500 metres. The drilling programme identified porphyry-style copper mineralisation beneath approximately 100 metres of overlying material, covering an estimated area of 1.4 square kilometres. Haider described the findings as an important milestone in the company’s minerals exploration programme and said further geological assessments and technical studies would be undertaken to establish the scale and potential commercial viability of the discovery. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to responsible mineral exploration and long-term value creation for Pakistan and its stakeholders.

The latest exploration results reinforce Chagai district’s growing importance as a centre of copper and gold exploration, alongside the internationally significant Reko Diq mining development. The discoveries could eventually create opportunities for mining infrastructure, mineral-processing facilities, transport networks, power supply systems and associated industrial investment in Balochistan. Development of commercially viable mineral projects may also support employment, regional economic activity and future mineral exports. However, both discoveries remain at the exploration and technical assessment stages, and neither company has announced confirmed commercial production volumes or construction schedules for mining operations at the newly identified sites. Their eventual development will depend on verified mineral resource estimates, detailed feasibility studies, financing arrangements, environmental and regulatory approvals, and the availability of supporting infrastructure. The announcements nevertheless represent further progress in Pakistan’s efforts to attract investment into its mineral resources and develop a stronger domestic mining and minerals-processing industry.