Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for making untiring efforts and hard work and consistency to put the country on path of development and prosperity.

Addressing the inaugural session of "Pakistan Minerals Summit" in Islamabad today, he said today is the day to learn lesson from the past and move forward in unison.

He said the story of Pakistan journey of seventy-five years is heart wrenching, but if we convert the speeches and presentations made in the summit into action in letter and spirit, we can achieve our past glory within next few years. He said unity, integrity and hard work are keys to ensure wellbeing of people of Pakistan.   

The Prime Minister said Special Investment Facilitation Council is the combination of all the stakeholders to ensure implementation of the projects for speedy development of the entire country.

Shehbaz Sharif also expressed gratitude to the Saudi government and its leadership for their generous support to Pakistan in the time of need.

He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are two brotherly countries, who always stood by each other through thick and thin and supported the cause of both the countries are every forum and at every moment.

He said the most recent example of Saudi support to Pakistan is in achieving the IMF programme and contribution of 2 billion dollars financial assistance to meet the fiscal gap. He said the friendship, brotherhood and fraternity between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is beyond any doubt.

In his address, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik invited foreign investors to invest in different sectors of Pakistan particularly in minerals and mining sector.

He said the aim of the summit is to increase Foreign Direct Investment in the country and move from 'Dust to Development'.

The Minister of State said Pakistan has estimated reserves worth of 6 trillion dollars of minerals, gold, copper, coal, other precious metals.

He said prosperity, growth, development and above all equity for regions which have left behind in the race of development is our dream and minerals are just tools to achieve this goal.

He said we want to increase our exports from one billion dollar to 5 billion dollar and employment in mineral sector from 3 hundred thousand to six hundred thousand in next few years.

The Minister also thanked the national and international delegations for attending the Pakistan Minerals Summit to take the country towards development and prosperity.