The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) hosted the launch of a UK-supported capacity building initiative at the Geoscience Advance Research Laboratories (GARL), Islamabad, aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s geoscientific capabilities and supporting the development of the mineral sector.
The initiative is supported by the United Kingdom through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under the REMIT (Revenue Mobilisation, Investment and Trade) Programme, and is being implemented in partnership with International Geoscience Services (IGS), a UK-based geoscience consultancy with extensive experience in supporting geological survey organisations worldwide.
The programme focuses on enhancing the technical capacity of GSP through hands-on training aligned with international standards. Key areas of training include digital geological surveying, geochemical sampling, airborne geophysics, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), enabling the development of an integrated, end-to-end digital geological survey workflow from field data acquisition to final mapping outputs.
Federal Minister for Petroleum, Mr. Ali Pervaiz Malik, while addressing the ceremony, highlighted the importance of strengthening geoscientific institutions to unlock Pakistan’s mineral potential and to position the country as an attractive destination for responsible investment.
British High Commissioner, Ms Jane Marriott CMG OBE, emphasized the importance of credible and modern geological data in enabling sustainable economic growth and reiterated the United Kingdom’s support for strengthening institutional capacity in Pakistan.
Director General, Geological Survey of Pakistan, Mr. Adnan Alam Awan, thanked the Government of the United Kingdom for the timely support and highlighted key reform initiatives being undertaken within GSP, including digitisation of legacy geoscientific data, initiation of new geophysical surveys, and strengthening of human resource capacity. He noted that the present initiative would significantly support GSP in achieving its institutional objectives and enhancing its service delivery.
The DG GSP also acknowledged the contributions of early British geoscientists who laid the scientific foundation of the organisation, noting that the Commonwealth Colombo Plan reconnaissance geological mapping of the 1950s continues to serve as an important reference for geological work in Pakistan.
The programme will run from April to July 2026 and will enable GSP to adopt modern methodologies and improve the quality and usability of its geoscientific outputs. It is expected to enhance GSP’s ability to independently design and execute national-level surveys to internationally acceptable standards, thereby supporting informed decision-making and investment in the mineral sector.
The launch event was attended by senior government officials and representatives of International Geoscience Services (IGS), who joined virtually.
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