Efficient use of natural resources can make Pakistan a prosperous nation. Discuss in the light of present situation of Pakistan.

Introduction

The Holy Quran says: "And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him" (Surah Al-Jathiyah, 45:13). Pakistan has been blessed with an extraordinary range of natural resources: the Indus river system, fertile plains, vast mineral deposits, coal, a long coastline, forests and some of the world's highest mountains. Yet the country remains dependent on loans, imports large quantities of food and fuel, and has large numbers of people in poverty. The problem is not a shortage of resources but their inefficient use. Better management could turn this natural wealth into lasting prosperity.

Overview

Pakistan has one of the world's largest contiguous irrigation systems, about 22 million hectares of cultivated land, coal reserves of about 186 billion tonnes (most of them at Thar), major copper and gold deposits at Reko Diq and Saindak, one of the world's largest salt deposits at Khewra, large reserves of marble and gemstones, and a coastline of about 1,000 kilometres with an Exclusive Economic Zone extended to about 290,000 square kilometres after the UN approved its continental shelf claim in 2015. Despite this, minerals contribute only around 3 percent of GDP, and agriculture yields lag behind regional averages.

Pakistan's natural resources and their potential

1. Water and the Indus system.

The Indus and its tributaries irrigate most of Pakistan's farms and could provide about 60,000 MW of hydropower, but water productivity is among the lowest in the world. (Reference: National Water Policy 2018; World Bank, Pakistan: Getting More from Water, 2019.)

2. Fertile land.

The plains of Punjab and Sindh are among the most fertile in Asia, capable of producing wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables for domestic use and export. (Reference: Finance Division, Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24, chapter on agriculture; Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Agricultural Census 2010.)

3. Minerals and metals. Reko Diq in Chagai is one of the world's largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, and Pakistan also has iron ore, chromite and other metals. (Reference: Barrick Gold, Reko Diq Project feasibility update, 2024; Geological Survey of Pakistan.)

4. Coal and energy resources. Thar coal reserves of about 175 billion tonnes could fuel power generation for centuries, and Pakistan also has gas, oil and abundant solar and wind potential. (Reference: Thar Coal and Energy Board; Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy 2019.)

5. Gemstones and marble.

Pakistan has emerald, ruby, peridot and tourmaline deposits in the north and large marble reserves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, but most are exported raw or wasted by outdated blasting methods. (Reference: Pakistan Stone Development Company; Gems and Gemological Institute of Pakistan.)

6. Forests and biodiversity.

Forests cover only about 5 percent of the land, but mountain forests, mangroves and wildlife are valuable for timber, carbon capture, flood control and tourism. (Reference: Ministry of Climate Change, forest cover data; FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020.)

7. Marine and coastal resources.

Fisheries, ports, offshore oil and gas and coastal tourism remain underused; Pakistan's seafood exports are far below those of comparable countries. (Reference: Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, recommendation on Pakistan's submission, March 2015; Marine Fisheries Department, export data.)

8. Tourism landscapes.

The Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush, with peaks such as K2 and Nanga Parbat, and valleys such as Hunza and Swat, offer world-class tourism potential. (Reference: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation; National Tourism Strategy 2020-2030.)

Present situation: why resources remain underused

Resources remain underused because of weak governance, policy inconsistency, poor technology, lack of investment, security problems in resource-rich Balochistan, disputes between the federation and provinces over ownership, corruption, and the export of raw materials without processing. The Reko Diq dispute, which led to an international arbitration award of about $6 billion against Pakistan in 2019 before a settlement in 2022, shows how mismanagement can turn a resource into a liability. (Reference: ICSID, Tethyan Copper Company v. Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Award of 12 July 2019; Reko Diq agreements, December 2022.)

How efficient use can make Pakistan prosperous

1. Efficient water use.

Lining canals, drip irrigation and pricing water realistically would produce more crops per drop and free water for cities and industry. (Reference: National Water Policy 2018; World Bank, Pakistan: Getting More from Water, 2019.)

2. Agricultural productivity.

Raising yields to regional levels through better seeds, mechanisation and storage would turn Pakistan from a food importer into a major exporter. (Reference: National Food Security Policy 2018; Green Pakistan Initiative, 2023.)

3. Mineral development with value addition.

Developing Reko Diq transparently, processing copper and gold domestically, and modernising marble and gemstone industries would multiply export earnings. The National Minerals Policy 2013 and the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (2025) aim to attract investment. (Reference: National Mineral Policy 2013; Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, April 2025.)

4. Energy from local resources.

Thar coal, hydropower, solar and wind can replace imported fuel, saving billions of dollars and lowering costs for industry. (Reference: IGCEP 2022-31; Thar Coal and Energy Board.)

5. The blue economy.

Modern fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing, shipping and coastal tourism could add significantly to GDP. (Reference: Government of Pakistan, Blue Economy initiatives, 2020; Food and Agriculture Organization, fisheries profiles.)

6. Sustainable forestry and tourism.

Afforestation programmes such as the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami and eco-tourism can generate jobs while protecting the environment. (Reference: Ministry of Climate Change, Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme; National Tourism Strategy 2020-2030.)

7. Transparent and fair resource governance.

Clear laws, competitive bidding, revenue-sharing with provinces and local communities under Article 172(3), and joining initiatives like the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative would attract investment and build trust. (Reference: Constitution of Pakistan, Article 172(3); EITI Standard.)

8. Human capital and technology.

Training geologists, engineers and technicians, and using modern exploration and processing technology, are essential for turning resources into wealth. (Reference: Higher Education Commission, earth sciences programmes; Geological Survey of Pakistan.)

Conclusion

In 1907 US President Theodore Roosevelt declared: "The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life." Economists Jeffrey Sachs and Andrew Warner later showed that resource-rich countries often grow more slowly than resource-poor ones, the so-called "resource curse." Pakistan risks this fate if it continues to waste its water, export raw minerals and fight over ownership. But resources become a blessing when managed efficiently, transparently and fairly, as in Norway, Chile and Malaysia. With efficient water use, productive agriculture, value-added mining, local energy, a blue economy, sustainable tourism and good governance, Pakistan's natural wealth can make it the prosperous nation its founders envisioned.