By Irfan Siddiqui
A distinguished dinner reception was hosted in Tokyo by Chaudhry Asif Mahmood, Board of Governor of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Japan, in honor of Pakistan’s former senator, prominent politician, and renowned businessman Faisal Raza Abidi. The event was attended by respected members of the Pakistani community, senior journalists, and leading business figures, highlighting the growing role of overseas Pakistanis in international economic engagement.
Among the notable participants were Aamir Iqbal Sahib from Osaka, Badr Sahib from Saitama, Niazi Sahib from Kanagawa, and senior journalist and well-known columnist Irfan Siddiqui from Chiba. The presence of prominent community representatives and media figures added further significance to the gathering, which focused on investment opportunities, global partnerships, and Pakistan’s economic prospects abroad.
During the dinner, Faisal Raza Abidi briefed Chaudhry Asif Mahmood and other participants on his recently assigned role as Chief Consultant for a major mining project in Angola, where mineral reserves worth an estimated USD 97 trillion have been discovered. He explained that the reserves include rare earth elements, gold, diamonds, and copper—resources of critical importance for modern technology, defense industries, and advanced manufacturing.
Abidi noted that the project has the potential to bring transformative change to Angola’s economy while simultaneously creating strategic opportunities for Pakistan. He stated that the mining venture will be jointly undertaken by the United Arab Emirates–based Royal Business Group and the Pan African Tobacco Company, a key player in Angola’s economic landscape. He further informed the gathering that major Japanese and South Korean companies have expressed strong interest in participating in the mining operations, particularly in the extraction and processing of rare earth elements.
Emphasizing Pakistan’s potential role, Faisal Raza Abidi invited Chaudhry Asif Mahmood to explore avenues through which the Government of Pakistan could engage with the project. He also encouraged leveraging the platform of overseas Pakistanis in Japan to facilitate collaboration with Japanese corporations, thereby strengthening Pakistan’s integration into global supply chains of strategic minerals.
Chaudhry Asif Mahmood, speaking on the occasion, welcomed Faisal Raza Abidi and appreciated his efforts to share such a significant international initiative with the Pakistani community in Japan. He remarked that overseas Pakistanis can play a vital role in connecting Pakistan with global investment opportunities and assured that OPF Japan would continue to support initiatives that promote economic cooperation and national interest.
The dinner concluded with Chaudhry Asif Mahmood thanking Faisal Raza Abidi for accepting the invitation and briefing the participants on the Angola project. Attendees described the event as informative and forward-looking, underscoring the importance of sustained engagement between Pakistan’s leadership, business community, and overseas Pakistanis in shaping future economic partnerships.
