Islamabad (Commerce Desk): Rising global demand for lithium is expected to create new investment opportunities in Pakistan in mineral exploration, lithium-ion battery manufacturing and energy storage systems.
Pakistan will host the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in Islamabad on November 12 and 13 to strengthen its role in global mineral supply chains. International investors and mining experts are expected to attend the event.
As part of efforts to explore potential lithium resources, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has signed an agreement with the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH). Under the agreement, more than 2,000 groundwater samples from selected wells will be analysed to determine the presence and concentration of lithium and rare earth elements.
An initial pilot study reported a lithium concentration of 291 milligrams per litre in water from the Wahid Bakhsh-01 well in Sindh. However, this finding does not conclusively establish the quantity or economic viability of commercially recoverable lithium reserves in the country.
Meanwhile, growing imports of lithium-ion batteries have highlighted investment opportunities in the domestic industry. According to data compiled by the Pakistan Solar Association, Pakistan imported lithium-ion batteries with a combined capacity of approximately 5.39 gigawatt-hours between January 2025 and May 2026, valued at around $256.94 million.
This demand could create opportunities for local battery manufacturing and assembly for solar energy storage, household backup systems, industrial applications and electric vehicles.
Reports also indicate that major battery manufacturing projects are under consideration. Work is reportedly underway with Chinese partners and local investors on a proposed $2.25 billion lithium-ion battery factory in Rawalpindi. A separate plan to establish a lithium battery manufacturing plant has also emerged for Karachi’s Korangi Industrial Area. The completion and production capacity of these projects will depend on the relevant approvals and investment.
Experts believe the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum could provide an important opportunity to attract foreign investment in lithium exploration, scientific assessment of mineral resources, battery manufacturing, recycling and energy storage technology. Local battery production could also facilitate technology transfer and reduce reliance on imports.
However, the existence of commercially viable lithium reserves in Pakistan and the economic feasibility of extracting them remain to be established.