KARACHI: Pakistan has discovered significant reserves of antimony, a critical metal traditionally used in batteries, semiconductors and flame retardants, in the mineral-rich southwestern province of Balochistan, the country’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) said on Saturday.
The strategic significance of the discovery lies in its use in military equipment such as infrared missiles, nuclear weapons, night vision goggles and as a hardening agent for bullets and tanks. China is currently the largest producer of antimony in the world, though the discovery could also prove highly beneficial for Pakistan’s economy and defense sector.
“Significant antimony reserves have been discovered in Balochistan, and a comprehensive commercial plan has been developed by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC),” the SIFC statement informed.
“OGDCL and PMDC have entered into a 50:50 partnership, with the formal announcement of the joint venture expected during the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 on April 8–9,” it added.
Pakistan has designated mining and minerals as a priority sector for national economic development, aiming to reduce its reliance on imports and enhance exports. The government has launched a series of reforms and events to attract local and international investment in the sector. The SIFC, a civil-military body established in 2023, serves as a one-window platform to streamline such investments and facilitate economic activity across key sectors.
According to the SIFC, Pakistan is also making headway in acquiring ten mineral blocks in Gilgit-Baltistan, where gold, copper, nickel and cobalt deposits have been confirmed.
In Punjab, coordination is underway between the OGDCL and the provincial mineral department to explore mineral deposits in Chiniot, where previous surveys have indicated iron, copper and gold potential.
Pakistan is also exploring the possibility of leveraging refining facilities in Oman to process extracted antimony, which would reduce local infrastructure constraints and accelerate the commercialization process.
To support the mining sector’s long-term growth, the SIFC said the government wants to align academic curricula with international standards and has committed to working with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and local universities to produce a skilled workforce.
The announcements come just days ahead of the high-profile Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025, where the government is expected to highlight the country’s mineral wealth and attract both domestic and international investors.
Pakistan announces discovery of strategic antimony reserves used in making military equipment
https://arab.news/4e9q5
Pakistan announces discovery of strategic antimony reserves used in making military equipment
- Antimony can be used in military equipment such as infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision goggles
- The announcement comes just days ahead of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, aimed at attracting foreign businesses
Italian Navy ship arrives in Pakistan’s Karachi to strengthen maritime cooperation
- Antonio Marceglia to discuss maritime security, hold joint training sessions during three-day visit
- Pakistan, Italian navy ships to partake in warfare-related exercises designed to enhance coordination
ISLAMABAD: The Italian Navy ship Antonio Marceglia arrived in the southern port city of Karachi on Tuesday to strengthen maritime cooperation with Pakistan and partake in warfare-related exercises, Pakistan Navy’s military media wing said.
The Italian ship arrived at the Karachi Port for a three-day goodwill visit during which the commanding officer and crew of the Antonio Marceglia were accorded a warm welcome by Pakistan Navy officials, the Italian ambassador to Pakistan and other officials of the Italian consulate in Karachi.
The Director-General of Public Relations (DGPR) of the Pakistan Navy said in a statement that the Italian ship’s crew will participate in a range of professional engagements during its port call. These include cross-ship visits, discussions on maritime security and joint training sessions.
“These engagements are designed to foster deeper mutual understanding, enhance bilateral naval cooperation and advance operational interoperability between the two navies,” the Pakistan Navy said.
It said the visit would culminate in the Sea Phase, which would feature various warfare-related exercises designed to enhance tactical coordination and maritime security operations of both navies.
“The visit of Italian Navy Ship ITS ANTONIO MARCEGLIA reinforces growing maritime partnership between both countries,” the statement said. “It also reflects shared resolve of both navies to work together for regional stability.”
Pakistan regularly collaborates with its counterparts from various parts of the world to ensure illicit activities such as smuggling, drug trafficking and piracy are kept in check.
Pakistan stresses increasing trade, tourism cooperation with Bangladesh amid improving ties
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar meets Bangladesh high commissioner to discuss ties, says Pakistan’s FO
- Islamabad, Dhaka have sought closer ties since ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday stressed the need to enhance cooperation in trade and tourism with Bangladesh, the Pakistani foreign office said, as Dhaka and Islamabad attempt to forge closer ties amid improving bilateral relations.
Pakistan and Bangladesh have improved their strained ties since August last year after former premier Sheikh Hasina fled to India, forced by a violent student-led protest. Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation but split in a brutal 1971 war, with Bangladesh drawing closer to India.
Bangladesh’s High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan met Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, in Islamabad to discuss bilateral ties, the Pakistani foreign office said.
“Appreciating the positive trajectory of bilateral ties, he [Dar] emphasized the need to further expand cooperation- especially in trade, tourism, & people-to-people exchanges,” the foreign office said.
In February this month, Bangladesh and Pakistan started direct government-to-government trade with Dhaka importing 50,000 tons of rice from Islamabad, a sign of improving relations between the two.
Direct private trade between the countries restarted in November 2024, when a container ship sailed from Pakistan’s Karachi to Bangladesh’s Chittagong. It was the first cargo ship in decades to sail directly between the two nations.
In recent months, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus have met on the sidelines of international forums, including the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the D-8 Summit in Cairo.
These interactions have been described as cordial, with both leaders expressing a desire to deepen bilateral cooperation.
Met office forecasts 25% above-normal monsoon rain for Pakistan this year
- Punjab’s disaster management agency says it has made arrangements to deal with the risk of flooding
- Pakistan has witnessed extreme weather like heatwaves, droughts and devastating floods in recent years
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is likely to experience 25 percent more rainfall than average during the upcoming monsoon season, officials said on Tuesday, with the country’s most populous province, Punjab, rolling out preparedness measures to address urban flooding and other climate-related emergencies.
The warning comes as Pakistan continues to suffer the effects of increasingly frequent and intense weather events, including heatwaves, droughts and devastating floods. Although the country contributes less than one percent to global carbon emissions, it remains among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world.
Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia visited the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) headquarters in Lahore to assess forecasts and coordination efforts ahead of the seasonal rains.
“This year’s monsoon rainfall is expected to be 25 percent above normal levels,” officials said during a briefing. “The heaviest rains are forecast for the month of August.”
During the visit, Chief Meteorologist Zahir Babar provided a detailed overview of the seasonal outlook and flood forecasting mechanisms, while emphasizing the importance of early warnings in major cities like Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala to minimize urban flood impacts.
Kathia said all necessary arrangements have been completed to manage the risk of flooding during the monsoon.
He stressed that a joint response plan must be implemented by all concerned departments to deal with cloudburst events and urban flooding.
Pakistan experienced catastrophic monsoon rains in 2022 that submerged large parts of the country, killing nearly 1,700 people and causing damage to homes, farmland and infrastructure exceeding $35 billion, according to government and UN estimates.
Officials also reviewed the flood early warning system for hill torrents and the control room operations for real-time monitoring of river flows under the Flood Forecasting Division.
Kathia praised the Meteorological Department’s coordination and technical preparedness, calling the working relationship between the PMD and PDMA Punjab “excellent.”
Pakistan, UAE voice concern over Israel-Iran war as Trump seeks ‘end’ to nuclear threat
- UAE and Pakistan stress urgent need to support efforts for regional peace and stability
- Trump says reporters will ‘find out’ where the situation is headed in the next two days
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates expressed deep concern over Israel’s escalating war with Iran, the foreign office said on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to Iran’s nuclear program and warned of potential new developments in the coming days.
The exchange between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, took place over a phone call, according to the official intimation.
The war between Iran and US ally Israel, which began on Friday when Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, has alarmed a region already on edge since Israel’s military assault on Gaza began in October 2023.
Iran launched its own retaliatory missile attacks, targeting dozens of strategic sites in Israel, as civilian casualties mounted on both sides. There has been no sign of de-escalation so far, with both sides continuing to strike military and economic targets, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of UAE, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” the foreign office of Pakistan said in a social media post.
“The two leaders discussed the evolving regional situation in the wake of Israel’s military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” it added. “They expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions and underscored the urgent need to support efforts for ensuring regional peace and stability.”
Earlier, Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from a Group of Seven summit in Canada.
He said he may send US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to Iran for talks, but added, “it depends on what happens when I get back.”
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” he continued, adding that he wanted a “real end” to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, with Tehran “giving up entirely” on any weapons program.
The US president also warned residents in Tehran to evacuate amid fears of further escalation, but remained vague about Israel’s next steps in the conflict.
“You’re going to find out over the next two days,” he said. “Nobody’s slowed up so far.”
With input from Reuters
Pakistan plans rail link to Reko Diq by 2028 as PM sets up committee for project
- Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, plans production in three years
- PM Sharif says extending railway connectivity will boost the mining and mineral sector in Balochistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to upgrade its railway infrastructure and extend the network to Reko Diq, a massive copper and gold mining project in southwestern Balochistan province, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday instructed officials to set up an inter-ministerial committee for the project.
The move aims to support future cargo and transport needs, particularly as Reko Diq, one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, is set to begin production within three years.
The mine is being developed by Barrick Gold, which holds a 50 percent stake, with the remaining share held jointly by Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments. The company has projected the project will generate up to $74 billion in free cash flow over its expected 37-year lifespan.
“The Prime Minister directed that Reko Diq be connected to the railway network by 2028,” Sharif’s office said in a statement circulated after the meeting. “The Prime Minister instructed the formation of an inter-ministerial committee to explore financing options for the upgrade and expansion of the railway system.”
“The committee will present concrete proposals regarding the financing required for the development of Pakistan Railways and its extension to Reko Diq,” it added.
Calling railways a “backbone” of Pakistan’s economy and communications network, the prime minister said it was an affordable, fast and environmentally friendly mode of transport.
He added extending rail connectivity to Reko Diq would boost the mining and minerals sector in Balochistan and create new employment opportunities for residents in the province.
The mineral-rich but underdeveloped province of Balochistan is vital to Beijing’s $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship Pakistan arm of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
However, while the province is viewed as vital for Pakistan’s economic future, it remains marred by separatist violence, posing serious challenges to the implementation of large-scale infrastructure and mining projects.
The railway network, despite being a key mode of transport for the province’s widely dispersed population, has also come under threat from militant attacks.
Earlier this year, armed separatists took a passenger train hostage in Balochistan, triggering a military rescue operation in which security forces said all the militants were killed.
