ISLAMABAD — Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met with Vice President Operations of Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC), Tareq Ebrahim, in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss expanding investment and joint exploration in Pakistan’s energy sector.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral collaboration in upstream oil and gas exploration at a time when Pakistan is seeking to boost domestic energy production and attract foreign direct investment.
Key Highlights of the Talks
Five-Decade Energy Partnership: Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik highlighted that Pakistan and Kuwait share over a 50-year relationship in the energy domain, describing Kuwait as one of Pakistan’s closest partners.
Upstream Exploration Potential: KUFPEC expressed strong interest in expanding its footprint in Pakistan’s upstream oil and gas sector, building on its existing joint venture partnerships with local majors like Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Mari Petroleum.
Conducive Investment Climate: The minister assured the delegation of the government’s full backing, promising every possible assistance and a favorable regulatory environment for international energy investors.
Strategic Context
KUFPEC, an international upstream subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), has operated in Pakistan since 1987 with investments totaling around $1 billion across major producing fields, including Qadirpur, Bhit, Badhra, and Kadanwari.
The renewed talks come as Pakistan accelerates efforts to secure domestic oil and gas reserves, reduce expensive import bills, and fortify its national energy security against global supply chain vulnerabilities.
