Pakistan Targets 2029 Rail Link Connecting Reko Diq Mine to Karachi’s Port Qasim, Minister Says

Pakistan is moving ahead with plans to connect the remote Reko Diq copper-and-gold project to the country’s main maritime gateway, aiming to finish a rail link to Karachi’s Port Qasim by the end of 2029, according to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

Speaking Thursday, Iqbal said the government expects to begin construction on a new section of track “within a few months,” describing the railway as a priority piece of infrastructure needed to move large volumes of mineral output efficiently from Balochistan to export terminals and domestic industry. The minister’s comments signal an effort to accelerate logistics planning around one of Pakistan’s most closely watched mining ventures.

The proposed route would tie the Reko Diq site—located in an isolated part of the country near the borders with Iran and Afghanistan—into the national rail network and onward to Port Qasim, a key port complex serving Karachi. By shifting heavy cargo to rail, the government hopes to lower transportation costs and improve reliability compared with long-haul trucking across challenging terrain.

Iqbal also acknowledged that security remains a central obstacle to major resource projects in the region. He said Pakistan intends to deploy dedicated security divisions to address safety concerns that have contributed to delays. While he did not provide operational details, the pledge reflects the government’s view that assuring protection for workers, equipment and transport corridors is essential for construction to proceed on schedule and for mining operations to scale.

In addition to the transport timeline, the planning minister emphasized that Pakistan wants more of the economic benefit from Reko Diq to be captured at home. He said the country is committed to developing domestic, value-added activity in the future—an indication that officials are looking beyond raw-material exports toward downstream processing and related industrial work.

The timeline outlined by Iqbal places completion of the mine-to-port rail connection before the end of 2029, with preparatory work expected to move quickly if ground is broken in the coming months. The plan, if executed, would create a direct logistics corridor linking a major mineral source to Pakistan’s largest commercial hub and export infrastructure.

Why it matters

Reko Diq is a high-profile mining project, and the ability to transport output at scale is crucial to its commercial viability and to Pakistan’s broader push for export earnings. A dedicated rail connection could reshape supply chains for minerals while creating new infrastructure demands in Balochistan. The next key signals will be whether construction starts on time and whether security arrangements prove sufficient to keep the project on track.