WASHINGTON, May 13 (APP):A leading American company in import, manufacture and supply of sea salt plans to invest nearly $200 million in curating, processing, distributing and importing Pink Himalayan Salt, which is mined in Pakistan’s Khewra Salt Mine located in Jhelum district of Punjab, a press release of the Pakistani embassy said on Saturday.
The investment, it said, would be made in preparing feasibility, reserve report, upgradation of mining procedures and processes, construction of world-class processing and packaging facility and community development programs.
Pink salt has been used as remedies for a variety of health issues and is used by health professionals.
During a briefing by top leadership Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. (MSCI), Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, was informed that Pakistan, with its geographical monopoly of the resource, has huge reserves of Pink Salt with a potential earning of $12 billion annually.
According to an estimate, the country possesses approximately 22.22 billion tons of natural resources, concentrated mostly in Salt Range areas of Kala Bagh, Warcha, Khewra and Bahadur Khel, with an immense potential of kick-starting massive economic activity.
The delegation included President and CEO Ahmed N. Khan; Vice President Tad M. Ballantyne; CCO/Board Member Muhammad M. Khan; Director & Board Member Jeffry Meilander; M. Shamsher Khan; Martyn Element (Vancouver Canada); Nasim Tyab (Vancouver Canada); Dan Terret (Vancouver Canada); Rana Rehan Anwar (Saint Louis); Tony Garson ( London England) and Attiq Rana (Saint Louis).
The Ambassador was informed that currently Pakistan was retaining $70 million only in lieu of export of this unique natural resource due to a lack of policy framework and adequate facilities for processing, packaging and worldwide distribution, the press release said.
Briefing the Ambassador, President MSCI Ahmed N. Khan informed that a multi-pronged solution featuring public-private partnership under a clearly defined policy was being worked out to assist the government in regulating and encouraging the private sector to take a lead role in exploiting the existing potential.
The company was undertaking a joint venture with Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, it was pointed out The company plans to raise market awareness globally and reach 10 million tons of verified extraction by 2030. Two world-class processing and distribution facilities would be established in Doha and China to fulfill global demand for Pakistani product.
Ambassador Masood Khan welcomed MSCI’s interest in making investment and promoting the Pink Salt industry in the country. He said that the government was committed to provide every possible facilitation to international investors and the business community intending to invest in traditional and non-traditional sectors of the economy.
Highlighting various steps taken for promoting ease of doing business and restoring the confidence of the investors, the Ambassador said that Pakistan due to its unique geostrategic location was poised to serve a vast market of Central and West Asia, Middle East and North Africa.
He said that there was a huge market for Pink Salt not only in the region but across the world which guaranteed profitable business venture in the sector.
The Ambassador assured the leadership of Miracle Saltworks Collective Inc. of every possible support of the Embassy in facilitating the early finalization and implementation of their business plan in the country.
