In order to shift from exporting raw minerals to developing domestic processing facilities, especially for copper ore, Balochistan’s provincial investment arm, the Balochistan Board of Investment and Trade (BBoIT), is aggressively pursuing Chinese investment. In addition to positioning Balochistan as a regional centre for downstream metal refining, this approach seeks to extract more value from the province’s extensive mineral endowment.
In a virtual session held this week, BBoIT CEO Abdul Kabeer Khan Zarkoon met with Pakistan’s Consul General in Shanghai, Shahzad Ahmed Khan, and representatives of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). They discussed a roadmap for deeper Pakistan China cooperation, focusing on setting up smelters and processing plants within Balochistan to handle locally mined copper, gold, and other strategic minerals.
Zarkoon emphasised that Balochistan is situated on top of some of the most abundant copper and gold reserves in the world. In order to increase export earnings and generate better-paying jobs locally, he informed guests that the province might switch from exporting unprocessed ore to shipping finished or semi-finished metal products with the correct infrastructure and technological collaborations.
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The provincial administration has promised to improve water access, power supply, and roads surrounding mining zones in order to attract investors. In addition, Zarkoon promised expedited permissions and protections against unjust treatment for international companies wishing to set up mineral-processing activities in the province, as well as complete policy assistance and regulatory protection.
Balochistan pushes for local copper processing with Chinese help
Pakistan currently exports over $1.2 billion worth of copper ore to China each year. By strengthening its own smelting and refining capacities, Balochistan intends to dramatically raise this figure. This will lead to value-added exports and a larger proportion of profits remaining in Pakistan’s economy rather than leaving it.
Local processing is viewed as a means of strengthening bilateral ties in addition to economic benefits. From combined research and development in mining technologies to training initiatives that upskill the local workforce in high-precision metallurgy, the establishment of joint-venture plants with Chinese technology partners may open the door to more extensive industrial cooperation.
These efforts align with Pakistan’s wider strategy of mobilizing foreign investment into its mineral sector, diversifying export profiles, and leveraging strategic partnerships especially with China to unlock long-term growth in resource-rich regions like Balochistan.