Shehbaz invites Turkish companies to increase investment in Pakistan’s energy sector
PM, Sri Lankan President express commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressing satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral relations, reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong commitment to further expanding cooperation with Türkiye, particularly in the energy sector.
The prime minister was talking to Turkish Minister of Energy & Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar who called on him here at the PM House.
He noted with satisfaction that Turkish Petroleum had joined offshore and onshore exploration activities in Pakistan, marking a major milestone in bilateral energy cooperation. He also extended an invitation to Turkish companies to increase their investment footprint in Pakistan’s energy market.
While underscoring the historic and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Türkiye, the prime minister emphasized on the importance of expanding collaboration between Pakistan and Türkiye in energy, petroleum, and mineral sectors.
While fondly recalling his numerous interactions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this year, the prime minister underscored the need to ensure close coordination between the two sides in view of the fast evolving regional and global environment.
It was agreed between the two sides that a Ministerial delegation from Pakistan will visit Turkiye soon to explore further cooperation between the two countries especially in the field of energy and power sector.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi, and senior government officials.
The two leaders also witnessed exchange of Memorendums of understanding and agreements between Turkiye and Pakistan in the field of mining, i.e, Deed of assignment -Eastern Offshore Indus-C, Petroleum Concession agreement Ziarat North Block, Petroleum Concession agreement Sukhpur-II Block, Petroleum Concession agreement Deep C Block and Offshore Deep F Block.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday expressed their shared commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation across all spheres.
The commitment was expressed during a telephonic call between the prime minister and the Sri Lankan President.
During their warm and cordial conversation, the prime minister expressed his profound grief over the devastating loss of life and widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka.
The prime minister conveyed heartfelt condolences to the people and Government of Sri Lanka, especially the bereaved families who had lost their loved ones in the catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed hundreds of precious lives and displaced thousands of people across the island.
The prime minister commended the swift response of the Sri Lankan authorities, military, and rescue teams in conducting relief operations under challenging conditions.
While recalling Pakistan’s own vulnerability to climate change induced calamities, he reaffirmed that Pakistan stood in complete solidarity with Sri Lanka during this most challenging situation.
The prime minister conveyed to the Sri Lankan president that, as a gesture of its support, Pakistan was immediately dispatching urgently needed humanitarian assistance to assist the people of Sri Lanka to help them recover from the devastation caused by this natural disaster.
The Sri Lankan president thanked the prime minister for Pakistan’s expression of solidarity with the Sri Lankan nation at this difficult time, as well as for provision of the generous humanitarian assistance. He appreciated that Pakistan was among the first countries to respond in the wake of the cyclone. APP
