ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye on Tuesday signed five memorandums of understanding (MoU) and deeds of assignment (DoA) for oil and gas exploration and agreed to extend bilateral cooperation to mining and shareholding in the energy sector.
These documents were signed during the ongoing visit of a Turkish delegation led by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar who met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, Oil Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Energy Minister Awais Leghari on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sharif witnessed the ceremony for the exchange of MoUs and agreements between Turkiye and Pakistan in the field of oil exploration, including Deed of Concession for Eastern Offshore Indus-C, Ziarat North Block Oil Concession Agreement, Sukhpur-II Block Oil Concession Agreement, Deep C Block Oil Concession Agreement and Offshore Deep F Block.
The Prime Minister underlined the historical and fraternal ties between the two nations and expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations and a strong desire and commitment to further expand cooperation, particularly in the energy sector.
Companies reach exploration agreements for three marine and two onshore fields
Sharif and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed in June 2022 to expand bilateral trade to $5 billion in three years from $1.1 billion in 2021. Bilateral trade stood at $1.4 billion in 2024.
He also emphasized the importance of expanding collaboration between Pakistan and Turkiye in the energy, oil and mineral sectors, according to an official statement, and noted with satisfaction that Turkish Petroleum had joined offshore and onshore exploration activities in Pakistan, marking an important milestone in bilateral energy cooperation.
The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to Turkish companies to increase their investment footprint in Pakistan’s energy market and called for the need to ensure close coordination between the two nations in view of the rapidly evolving regional and global environment. The two sides agreed that a ministerial delegation from Pakistan will visit Turkiye soon to explore further cooperation in these fields.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar informed the hosts that Turkiye planned to develop additional ventures in partnership with Pakistan, particularly in oil and gas exploration, energy infrastructure and mining sector. “To achieve our shared goal of $5 billion in bilateral trade, significant contributions will be made through deeper collaboration in energy and mining,” the visiting minister said.
He recalled his participation in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Conference earlier this year and highlighted Pakistan’s vast mining potential. “That’s why I brought a Turkish mining company with me,” he said. “It is a milestone for Türkiye to enter the mining sector with Pakistan, and we look forward to building long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships,” he said.
The CEOs of Mari Energies, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) made detailed presentations on their ongoing and planned projects and highlighted promising opportunities for their Turkish counterparts for collaboration in oil and gas exploration, including those in shale gas and tight gas and mining and minerals, through joint ventures and technology partners.
The visiting delegation also informed Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik that the Turkish Petroleum office will be opened in Islamabad this month, where ten Turkish nationals will work alongside local staff. The two sides agreed to explore the concept of adopting a unified approach by entering into a joint commercial venture for the procurement of oil to meet their respective energy needs.
Both sides agreed to enhance investment facilitation and expand collaboration to unlock the full potential of energy cooperation between Pakistan and Turkiye, the statement said.
During these interactions, Energy Minister Awais Leghari also invited experienced and reputable international private sector Turkish investors for the tender as Pakistan prepares for privatization of the first three Discos, for which expression of interest will be invited shortly.
Published in Dawn, December 3, 2025
