ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s confirmation of lithium reserves in Sindh has sparked optimism about the country’s future in clean energy, electric mobility and battery manufacturing, but experts warn that commercial production remains a long-term goal.
The discovery, confirmed by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in a well located in Khairpur, Sindh, is being viewed as an important first step towards reducing Pakistan’s dependence on imported lithium batteries and raw materials.
OGDCL has signed an agreement with the Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology (PINSTECH) to develop technology for extracting lithium from geothermal water. Authorities are also planning further exploration of eight to ten additional wells across Sindh to identify possible commercially viable reserves.
The development comes amid rapidly increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries in Pakistan, driven by the expansion of solar energy systems, electric vehicles and consumer electronics.
Pakistan imported around 6.004 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of lithium-ion batteries between January 2024 and June 2026, costing approximately $454.7 million (around Rs126 billion). At present, most batteries used in the country are imported or assembled locally with imported lithium materials.
Often called “white gold,” lithium is a critical mineral used in rechargeable batteries for smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems.
Experts said the Khairpur discovery is significant, as it marks the first officially confirmed site where technical work has started to evaluate commercial extraction. However, detailed testing is still required to determine lithium concentration, purity and economic viability.
Pakistan currently lacks the advanced processing and refining infrastructure needed for large-scale lithium production and will require foreign expertise and technology to develop a complete supply chain.
The lithium was detected during testing of geothermal water extracted from oil and gas wells located 10,000 to 15,000 feet underground in Khairpur. Experts noted that exploration, extraction and processing remain complex procedures that could take years before commercial production becomes possible.
