WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump has claimed that Washington and Islamabad have struck a “massive oil deal,” yet energy experts stress there is no evidence to support the existence of large untapped reserves in Pakistan, The Guardian reported.
Trump hosted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House this week, praising them as “great leaders.” The renewed engagement comes as Pakistan highlights its mineral and energy potential to lure US investment. In July, Trump said on Truth Social that the US and Pakistan would jointly develop “massive oil reserves,” with a leading American company soon to be selected for the partnership.
The message was echoed by US diplomat Natalie Baker, who said American firms were showing strong interest in Pakistan’s oil, gas, and mineral sectors. Islamabad has already secured a $500 million US investment in its nascent minerals industry and received tariff concessions on exports.
But geoscientists and former officials insist Trump’s oil claims are “without any data or evidence.” Moin Raza Khan, former managing director of Pakistan Petroleum Limited, said decades of exploration by global majors like ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total had failed to uncover commercially viable reserves. Current production is only about 65,000 barrels per day—minuscule compared to Saudi Arabia’s annual output of 4 billion barrels.
GA Sabri, ex-secretary of petroleum, dismissed the claims as a “political gimmick,” warning that high costs, security risks, and geological challenges make major finds highly unlikely. Despite this, Pakistan is moving ahead with auctions for 71 exploration blocks in October, inviting US companies to bid.
