Oil & gas, mining sector: Turkish team interested in additional ventures

ISLAMABAD: A visiting Turkish delegation has shown interest in additional ventures in partnership with Pakistan, particularly in oil & gas exploration, energy infrastructure and the mining sector, to achieve a shared goal of USD5 billion in bilateral trade.

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held a delegation-level meeting on Tuesday with the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar, to discuss avenues for deepening cooperation in the oil & gas and mining sectors.

The Turkish delegation was led by Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and included Deputy Minister Ahmet Berat, the Director General of MTIAC, and the Director General of TPAO, along with other senior officials.

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Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said that Pakistan attaches the highest importance to its longstanding brotherly relations with Turkiye. He noted that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif considers President Recep Tayyip Erdogan his brother, and that this spirit of friendship guides Pakistan’s commitment to expand bilateral cooperation across strategic sectors.

Minister Bayraktar, while expressing gratitude for the warm reception, highlighted the growing momentum in Pakistan-Turkiye relations. “This is my third visit to Pakistan in a short span of time,” he said. “During President Erdogan’s last visit to Pakistan, he told me before leaving that I must come back, and today I am glad to return with the first tangible, solid projects in Pakistan.” He added that Turkiye is planning to develop additional ventures in partnership with Pakistan, particularly in oil & gas exploration, energy infrastructure, and the mining sector. “To achieve our shared goal of USD5 billion in bilateral trade, significant contributions will come from deeper collaboration in energy and mining,” Minister Bayraktar noted.

Referring to his participation in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Conference, the Turkish Minister emphasised that the event clearly demonstrated Pakistan’s vast mineral potential. “That is why I have brought a Turkish mining company with me,” he said. “It is a milestone for Turkiye to enter the mining sector with Pakistan, and we look forward to building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.”

During the meeting, the Managing Directors of Mari Energies, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) gave detailed presentations on their ongoing and planned projects. They highlighted promising opportunities for collaboration with Turkish counterparts in oil and gas exploration, mining. MD OGDC, in his presentation, briefed the participants about the Company’s core business and its diversification into the RekoDiq project.

MD OGDC also informed about Pakistan’s first shale gas pilot project, currently underway and ongoing activities in the tight gas domain. MD OGDC invited the Turkish side to join OGDC’s unconventional hydrocarbon program both as joint venture partners and technology partners.

Alparslan Bayraktar and Ali Pervaiz Malik decided that the office of Turkish Petroleum will be opened in Islamabad this month, where ten Turkish nationals will be working along with local staff. They also agreed to explore the concept of adopting a unified approach by incorporating a joint trading company for the procurement of petroleum to meet their respective energy requirements. They underscored Pakistan’s substantial untapped potential and the readiness of key national energy companies to work closely with Turkish partners.

Both sides agreed to enhance investment facilitation and expand collaboration to unlock the full potential of Pakistan-Turkiye energy cooperation. After the meeting, both ministers left together for the Prime Minister’s house for the signing ceremony of different agreements.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025