ISLAMABAD: Ali Taha Al-Temimi, Country Manager for the Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company, has appreciated the “unrelenting efforts” by Pakistan to gather industry insiders and stakeholders at a petroleum conference to boost investment in the sector.

Pakistani Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and Army Chief Gen Syed Asim Munir hosted the Petroleum Conference 2024 in Islamabad on Tuesday. The conference was held as part of the new Special Investment Facilitation Council set up in July last year to serve as a “one window operation” for foreign investors, with a special focus on attracting funds from Gulf nations.

“Mr. Ali Taha Al-Temimi, Country Manager, Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company appreciated unrelenting efforts of the Government of Pakistan in bringing the stakeholders together for formulating policy recommendations and boosting investment in the petroleum sector,” PM Kakar’s office said in a statement after the petroleum conference concluded. 

The moot was attended by Pakistan’s provincial chief ministers, the minister for energy, secretary petroleum, other government representatives, policy makers, foreign and domestic investors from the Energy and Petroleum (E&P) sector and international delegates.

While addressing the Conference, Kakar said Pakistan was “blessed with abundant natural resources” but there was a need for “concerted efforts” to explore onshore and offshore oil and gas reserves.

He affirmed the government’s readiness to contribute in infrastructure development, logistics, and security to bolster exploration and production efforts.

“The Prime Minister further stated that the conference reflected a collective commitment to fully utilize the immense mineral potential of Pakistan, so as to ensure energy self-sufficiency and transform the Country into a regional exporter of energy,” PMO said. 

“He appreciated the Special Investment Facilitation Council and the Federal Ministry of Energy for fostering an investor-friendly environment by streamlining regulations and procedures.”