Uzbekistan sees avenues for exploration ventures

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik emphasised Pakistan's commitment to deepening energy collaboration with Uzbekistan during a meeting with Ambassador Alisher Tukhtaev on Friday. Their discussion centered around strengthening bilateral ties, with a particular focus on expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector.

The Uzbekistan ambassador lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recent successful visit to Tashkent, which paved the way for stronger economic and energy partnerships. He reaffirmed Uzbekistan's commitment to elevating bilateral trade to $2 billion in the coming years and identified the energy sector as a key area for mutual growth.

He noted significant opportunities for joint exploration ventures, technical training programmes for Pakistani professionals in Uzbekistan and collaborative research in synthetic fuel and polymer production. In response, the petroleum minister proposed the establishment of a dedicated Energy Working Group to complement existing bilateral mechanisms and ensure focused progress in oil and gas cooperation.