Senior Bureau Officer (SBO) Eric Mayor for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Eric Mayor is set to reach Pakistan on a three -day visit to pursue US interests in the important mineral sector at the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum.
According to a statement issued by the Mayor, the US State Department, from April 8 to April 10, he will lead an American delegation in Islamabad.
During its time in Pakistan, US officials will meet senior Pakistani authorities to expand opportunities for American businesses in Pakistan and promote economic relations between our two countries.
In addition, the mayors, along with senior officials, will underline the significant importance of our continuous cooperation on terrorism.
The US official’s visit comes against the backdrop of Washington’s decision to impose 29% tariffs on imports from Pakistan – one of the fastest economic attacks in recent history.
In the light of President Donald Trump’s tariff declaration – ready to be implemented on 9 April – Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has two special bodies to address and create a policy response in this regard.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said that a high -level delegation would travel to Washington to express the situation in Pakistan and further talk with US officials, Pakistan’s Ambassador US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has commented that Islamabad has made every effort to secure flexibility in relation to US tariff policy.
Meanwhile, the trip set by the US State Department official and delegation is to be taken in the context of the upcoming Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25), which is to be held in the federal capital in the ongoing month.
During the platform, the PM Shahbaz-led government is ready to marketing its mineral-rich landscape, which covers an area of about 600,000 square kilometers in the country.
The platform will serve as a major platform for global stakeholders, foreign investors, major corporations, policy makers, international diplomats, financial organizations and industry experts to find out attractive opportunities in the country’s mining sector.
Despite its great potential, the mineral sector currently contributes about 3.2% to the country’s GDP, with an account of exports for a total of 0.1% of the world. However, with increasing exploration, foreign investment and improving infrastructure, Pakistan’s mining industry is ready for significant expansion.
“With 92 known minerals, 52 of which are commercially exploited, Pakistan produces an estimated 68.52 million metric tonnes of minerals annually. The region supports more than 5,000 operating mines and more than 50,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which provides direct employment to 300,000 workers,” said the official.
Recognizing the capacity of the mining sector, the government is finalizing the National Mineral Hormonization Framework 2025, which is a comprehensive policy aimed at attracting investment at both provincial and national levels and attracting formal rules. Framework will provide encouragement to local and foreign investors, streamlined mining rules and facilitates public-private partnership.
