ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held a meeting with British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas as well as minerals sectors.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed progress in mineral-sector collaboration and welcomed the growing partnership between the British Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP). The British side indicated support of up to USD 400,000 for a proposed capacity-building initiative, which the minister said would significantly contribute to the development of Pakistan’s minerals sector once finalized.
High Commissioner Jane Marriott observed that Pakistan holds tremendous resource potential and noted that important economic reforms are underway. She expressed the United Kingdom’s strong interest in further deepening cooperation with Pakistan.
Discussions also focused on expanding collaboration in oil and gas exploration. Minister Malik emphasized that transparent and credible processes are essential to build investor confidence, adding that the government is taking concrete steps to strengthen institutional capacity across the energy sector.
Highlighting the importance of effective regulation, the minister said a strong and capable regulator is vital for the sustainability of the oil and gas sector. He proposed that the UK support the restructuring and capacity-building of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) through a comprehensive diagnostic exercise and the introduction of modern governance tools. Ms. Marriott agreed on the regulator’s critical role and said such cooperation could be jointly explored.
Encouraging greater participation of British companies, Minister Malik invited UK firms to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan. The High Commissioner acknowledged Britain’s strong expertise in offshore exploration and noted the significant potential for cooperation in this area. The minister added that Pakistan’s recent offshore bidding round received a positive response, including participation by Turkish Petroleum, and suggested partnerships between British companies and Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises.
Minister Malik also invited the British High Commissioner to attend the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF) scheduled for April 8–9. Ms. Marriott recalled the success of last year’s forum and assured that the UK would engage British companies, particularly service providers, to ensure strong participation.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further strengthen Pakistan–UK cooperation in the energy and minerals sectors, with a focus on sustainable development, investment promotion, and institutional strengthening.
