ISLAMABAD (MNN); The United Kingdom on Tuesday offered financial support of up to $400 million for capacity building of the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) as both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in the minerals, oil and gas sectors.
The offer was conveyed by British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott during a meeting with Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik in Islamabad, according to an official statement.
Jane Marriott said Pakistan possesses vast investment potential and noted that major economic reforms are underway. She expressed the UK’s keen interest in expanding collaboration in the energy and minerals sectors.
Both sides discussed enhanced cooperation in oil and gas exploration as well as minerals development. Progress on joint initiatives between the British Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Pakistan was reviewed, which is expected to lead to a comprehensive capacity-building programme, with potential UK support of up to $400 million.
Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said the programme would be instrumental in developing Pakistan’s minerals sector once finalised. He emphasised the importance of transparent and credible processes to build investor confidence and highlighted government efforts to strengthen institutional capacity in the energy sector.
The minister also underscored the need for a strong and effective regulator, suggesting UK support for restructuring and capacity building of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). He proposed a detailed diagnostic exercise and the introduction of modern governance tools to improve performance.
Jane Marriott agreed that a robust regulator was vital for long-term sustainability and said such cooperation could be jointly explored.
Encouraging greater British involvement, the minister invited UK companies to invest in Pakistan, particularly in offshore oil and gas exploration. Marriott acknowledged the UK’s expertise in offshore exploration and said collaboration in this area held strong potential.
Ali Pervaiz Malik noted that Pakistan’s recent offshore bidding round received a positive response, including participation from Turkish Petroleum, and suggested British firms could partner with Pakistan’s state-owned enterprises in joint ventures.
He also invited the British high commissioner to attend the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum scheduled for April 8–9. Marriott recalled the success of last year’s forum and said the UK would encourage British companies, especially service providers, to participate actively.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to strengthen Pakistan-UK cooperation in energy and minerals, focusing on sustainable development, investment promotion and institutional capacity building.
