Attock: A major mineral discovery has been reported in Attock District, where gold reserves worth an estimated $8.5 billion have been identified along the Indus River. The survey, conducted by NESPAK with the Punjab Mines and Minerals Department, identified nine placer gold blocks formed over time from Himalayan deposits. Authorities are now preparing bidding frameworks and consultancy plans to regulate extraction and attract investment. This development under the Land, Agriculture & Tourism Cluster highlights a significant National opportunity for economic growth, job creation, and foreign investment. For Punjab and Lahore stakeholders, such projects can boost industrial activity and resource-based development. Will this discovery transform Pakistan’s mining sector? How should it be managed?



