ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik held roundtable meetings with Chinese companies at the Pakistan Pavilion, set up at the 8th Silk Route Expo in Xi’an, China, on Saturday, offering them opportunities to invest in his country by getting into joint ventures.
In recent years, Pakistan has significantly benefited from China’s involvement in the energy sector, primarily through projects carried out under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Key areas of cooperation include the development of coal-fired power plants, hydropower projects and renewable energy sources. These projects have greatly enhanced Pakistan’s power generation capacity, with a report in China Daily last year mentioning the addition of over 8,000 megawatts to the national grid.
Malik conducted the roundtables at a time when leading Pakistani petroleum sector players, such as Oil and Gas Development Company, Pakistan Petroleum Limited and Mari Petroleum Company, are also participating in the expo.
“Opening the discussion forum, Federal Minister for Petroleum Dr. Musadik Malik laid down the vision of Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif,” said an official statement from the Ministry of Energy. “He committed ... to provide full facilitation [to Chinese firms] in partnering with Pakistani companies in joint ventures whether individually or with consortium.”
The statement added the key areas in which the Chinese businesses have been invited to partner in are oil and gas exploration, refinery upgradation, coal conversion and regasification.
The minister noted that Pakistan has one of the largest reserves of coal, adding the government wanted to create value from its resources while protecting the environment.
“We will become technology partners, joint venture partners,” he was quoted as saying.
Pakistan has already invited Chinese investment in a number of sectors.
Only a day earlier, a Chinese business group announced to set up textile parks in the country to boost Pakistan’s exports by about $5 billion.
Pakistan’s petroleum minister seeks Chinese investment at Silk Route Expo in Xi’an
https://arab.news/6snrv
Pakistan’s petroleum minister seeks Chinese investment at Silk Route Expo in Xi’an
- Dr. Musadik Malik promises to facilitate Chinese businesses interested in getting into joint ventures
- Potential areas of cooperation include oil and gas exploration, refinery upgradation and coal conversion
Pakistan urges pilgrims to complete Saudi biometrics as Hajj preparations gain pace
- Government warns pilgrims biometric verification is required for Hajj visas
- Step follows tighter oversight after last year’s Hajj travel disruptions
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government on Friday urged aspiring pilgrims to complete mandatory Saudi biometric verification for Hajj visas, as preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage gather pace following stricter oversight of the Hajj process.
The announcement comes only a day after Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said regulations for private Hajj operators had been tightened, reducing their quota following widespread complaints last year, when tens of thousands of pilgrims were unable to travel under the private Hajj scheme.
“Saudi biometric verification is mandatory for the issuance of Hajj visas,” the Ministry of Religious Affairs said in a statement, urging pilgrims to complete the process promptly to avoid delays.
“Hajj pilgrims should complete their biometric verification at home using the ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ app as soon as possible,” it added.
The statement said the pilgrims who were unable to complete biometric verification through the mobile application should visit designated Saudi Tasheer centers before Feb. 8, adding that details of the centers were available on Pakistan’s official Hajj mobile application.
Pakistan has been steadily implementing digital and procedural requirements for pilgrims ahead of Hajj 2026, including mandatory training sessions, biometric checks and greater use of mobile applications, as part of efforts to reduce mismanagement.
Saudi Arabia has allocated Pakistan a quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2026, with the majority of seats reserved under the government scheme and the remainder allocated to private tour operators.
