Pakistan and Turkiye on Tuesday signed a joint bidding agreement for the exploration of offshore oil and gas reserves in Pakistani waters, marking a major step in energy cooperation between the two countries.
Signed on the sidelines of the ongoing Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum, 2025, the agreement allows both countries to jointly participate in Pakistan’s offshore bid round, launched in February and offering 40 exploration blocks in the Makran and Indus basins.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Turkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar witnessed the signing ceremony. Mari Energies Limited, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) are Pakistan’s signatories, while Turkiye’s state-owned Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı is its signatory.
“This partnership will bring in foreign direct investment and allow the use of advanced technologies to tap Pakistan’s offshore resources,” said Malik, expressing high hopes for the Pak-Turkiye collaboration. He said seismic surveys had shown promising signs of offshore oil and gas reserves.
Bayraktar praised Pakistan’s efforts in hosting the investment forum and highlighted the importance of international cooperation in energy development.