By SKM
December 1, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkiye are set to elevate their strategic partnership to new heights as Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is poised to sign five Petroleum Concession Agreements (PCAs) tomorrow (December 2, 2025) —three for offshore blocks and two for onshore exploration.
Turkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar will attend the signing ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office, arriving with a high-powered delegation on the invitation of Pakistan’s Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz, top officials told Exclsuivewaves.com.pk.
The development marks another milestone in the steadily deepening geopolitical and economic relations between the two nations, strengthened through consistent engagement by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
TPAO, armed with decades of experience and advanced technology in global oil and gas exploration—spanning Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Libya, Somalia and Turkmenistan—is preparing for a substantial expansion in Pakistan through its subsidiary Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC).
Major Stakes in Offshore and Onshore Blocks
Officials confirmed that TPOC already holds operatorship of Indus Block-C, an offshore block where it has a 25% stake, while Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) retains 35%, and OGDCL and Mari Energies hold 20% each.
The Turkish company will further acquire stakes in two additional offshore blocks—Deep-C and Deep-F—and two onshore blocks: Ziarat North in Balochistan and Sakpur in Sindh. These ventures will be executed in partnership with OGDCL, GHPL, and private sector firm Prime.
Turkish Mining Giant Eyes Pakistan’s Mineral Wealth
In a parallel boost to bilateral economic engagement, Turkiye’s leading mining conglomerate has expressed strong interest in large-scale investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector. Its Chief Executive, currently in Islamabad, has held extensive meetings with the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), Frontier Works Organization (FWO), and Pakistan Mineral Development Company (PMDC) to explore opportunities in mineral exploration, technological cooperation, and professional training.
Officials noted that interest in Pakistan surged following the Pakistan Mineral Investment Forum (PMIF) 2025, organized by OGDCL and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in April, where Minister Bayraktar was also present. Turkish companies now view Pakistan as a promising destination rich in oil, gas, and rare earth mineral deposits.
High-Level Preparations Finalized
Earlier, Turkish Ambassador Irfan Neziroglu met with Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Pervaiz Malik to review preparations for today’s engagements. Secretary Petroleum Momin Agha and OGDCL Managing Director Ahmed Hayat Lak also attended the meeting.
A background briefing shared during the session highlighted Pakistan’s policy push toward joint ventures in petroleum and mineral exploration—particularly through state-owned enterprises such as OGDCL, PPL, and Mari Energies, all of which have forged new partnerships with Turkish Petroleum in recent months.
Ambassador Neziroglu confirmed that a “leading Turkish mineral-sector company” will be part of the visiting delegation—an indication of Turkiye’s expanding interest in Pakistan’s resource sector. Ends
