ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that ensuring long-term energy security of country necessitates enhancement of indigenous exploration and production of petroleum products.
This, he said during a briefing by the Pakistan Petroleum Exploration and Production Companies Association (PPEPCA).
The prime minister said that the present government’s bold and visionary decisions had created a conducive investment environment that was attracting and encouraging local as well as foreign investors to explore business opportunities in the country.
Abbasi observed that despite constraints, government had made significant progress towards putting in place an environment that facilitated business community in undertaking profitable business ventures in various fields.
He said that the government would continue extending all possible support towards removing bottlenecks in consultation with the stakeholders.
Earlier, upon his arrival, the prime minister was received by PPEPCA Chairman Lt Gen (retired) Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad at Mari Petroleum Head Office in Islamabad.
The PPEPCA chairman gave a detailed presentation to the prime minister about the exploration and production activities being carried out by all the E&P companies in Pakistan.
The prime minister was apprised that 46 per cent of energy requirement of the country was met through indigenous oil and gas production.
The PPEPCA chairman further briefed that despite downturn in the global oil prices and tougher competition for risk investment, the response of local E&P Companies had been very encouraging.
Meanwhile, a delegation of agriculturists from Balochistan called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and apprised him of the problems being faced by the farmer community in the province.
The delegation included Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed, Mir Ahmad Khan Sarparah, Haji Muhammad Siddique Lehri, Mir Muhammad Hasan Raisani, Malik Yaseen Bungalzai, Zubair Ahmad, and Noor Ahmad.
The delegation apprised the prime minister about various issues related to agriculture sector in the province.
The prime minister said that the federal government would look into the issues of the agriculturists and would extend its all-out support in resolving them.
Our Staff Reporter
