Pakistan And Türkiye To Cement Bilateral Ties With Offshore, Onshore Exploration And Critical Minerals Cooperation

ISLAMABAD: MAY 23 (DNA):Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, held a meeting with H.E Irfan Neziroglu, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Pakistan, today at the Ministry of Petroleum. The discussions centered on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, including offshore and onshore exploration, as well as collaboration in critical minerals.

During the meeting, Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik expressed profound gratitude for Türkiye’s unwavering support to Pakistan during the India-Pakistan conflict. He emphasized that the Pakistan-Türkiye friendship has “passed every test of time with flying colors,” reflecting the deep-rooted bond between the two brotherly nations. He thanked the Ambassador on behalf of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the unambiguous support. He said that “His excellency President Erdogan has been open about his love for Pakistan, Pakistani Government and people highly value this brotherhood and reciprocate the same love.”

H.E Irfan Neziroglu underscored the Turkiye’s commitment towards Pakistan and remarked that it is a time-tested brotherhood. Pakistan managed the situation well right from the start. Although India did aggression but Pakistan, like a responsible state, showed restraint. He further added that, the youth of both countries now have a refreshed understanding of the Pak-Turkiye shared heroes and historic relationship.

The Minister highlighted the immense potential for expanding cooperation in the petroleum and mineral sectors, noting that both countries could benefit from joint ventures, technology transfer, and investment opportunities. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to fostering a robust partnership with Türkiye in energy and resource development.Turkiye’s state owned company Turkish Petroleum Corporation has been provisionally awarded two onshore blocks in the recent bidding round on May 13,2025.

One of the awarded blocks is located in Balochistan — Ziarat North, where the JV partners are MariEnergies (33.16%, operator), OGDCL (24.87%), PPL (24.87%), TPOC (10%), and Government Holdings Private Limited (GHPL) (7.10%). The other successful bid is for the Sukhpur-II block in Sindh, with the following JV structure: Prime (25%, operator), OGDCL (30%), MariEnergies (30%), and TPOC (15%). Moreover, Turkish Petroleum has also executed a Joint Bidding Agreement with a consortium of Pakistan companies (MariEnergies, OGDCL, PPL) for participation in upcoming Offshore Bid Round 2025.

Ambassador Neziroglu reaffirmed Türkiye’s dedication to strengthening ties with Pakistan across all sectors, particularly energy and mining. He praised Pakistan’s efforts in creating a conducive environment for foreign investment and expressed optimism about future collaborations that would drive mutual economic growth.

Both sides agreed to expedite discussions on joint exploration projects and the critical minerals, which are vital for industrial and technological advancements.