PMIF 2026: Significant placer gold found in Punjab rivers, says CM Maryam

Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday there was significant evidence of placer gold in all five rivers of Punjab, particularly in Mianwali and Attock districts, and invited international investors to help develop the resource.

Speaking at Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) in Islamabad, Sharif held up what she described as a sample of pure gold recovered from river sand and said surveys were still underway to quantify the deposits.

“We have significant evidence that there is sufficient quantity of placer gold,” Sharif said. “It is pure gold, literally flowing in all five rivers, especially Mianwali and Attock, north and south of Punjab.”

“However, we are conducting surveys to see the amount of gold that we have in the rivers. We are also looking for international partners and can turn this opportunity into shared prosperity,” she said.

Placer Gold Discovered Near Attock

• Placer gold is secondary gold that has broken loose from a primary hard-rock source (like a quartz or sulfide vein) through natural weathering and erosion, and has been transported and re-deposited by water, ice, or wind.

Maryam said the gold was found alongside sand and gravel containing rare earth and precious minerals that could be equal in value to the gold itself.

“There is so much that we can do with this wealth,” she added.

She linked the claim to a broader push to formalise Punjab’s mining sector, saying revenue from the provincial Mines and Minerals Department had risen from Rs10 billion when she took office to Rs40 billion in two and a half years.

“Pakistan is a pot of gold,” she said. “All we need to do is to unearth it, to explore it and to turn it into tangible wealth.”

Pakistan is hosting the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2026 (PMIF26) in Islamabad to attract foreign investment, promote global partnerships and unlock the country’s vast mineral potential.

The two-day forum would bring together Pakistan’s leadership, international mining executives, investors, policymakers and industry experts to explore investment opportunities in the country’s minerals sector.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Chief of the Army Staff & Chief of Defence Forces (COAS & CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir are among the key speakers.

Organised by the government of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the forum aims to promote domestic and foreign investment by highlighting Pakistan’s extensive mineral reserves and opportunities across the sector.

The forum would spotlight critical minerals, sustainable mining practices, and policy frameworks designed to enable transparent, responsible, and long-term sector growth. Through high-level dialogues, strategic partnerships, and an international exhibition, PMIF26 aims to position Pakistan as a competitive and trusted destination for global mineral investment.