Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the upgraded Geoscience Advanced Research Laboratories (GARL) of the Geological Survey of Pakistan in Chak Shehzad on Friday. The ceremony was attended by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), along with federal ministers and distinguished foreign dignitaries.

The Prime Minister said that the upgradation of GARL marks a major milestone in Pakistan's mineral research and exploration capabilities, aligning the country's geological infrastructure with global standards.

Originally established in 1991, the facility has now been comprehensively modernized and accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 standards - certifying its technical competence in testing and calibration. The laboratory's capability now meets international reporting requirements such as JORC and NI 43-101, enabling it to generate globally recognized analytical data for mineral reserve estimations.

Officials of the Geological Survey of Pakistan highlighted that this accreditation will significantly boost foreign investment in the mineral sector by ensuring reliable, internationally accepted data for exploration and development projects.

The modernized GARL will now serve as a state-of-the-art national hub for advanced mineral research, embodying more than three decades of scientific excellence and progress.