ISLAMABAD – The Energy ministry has responded over the news of thediscovery of huge oil reserves in Pakistan.
Officials have negated caretaker foreign minister’s tall claim ofdiscovering huge oil reserves reportedly bigger than Kuwait’s in Pakistannear the Iran border by US energy giant Exxon Mobil, sources said
The energy ministry has negated the tall claim made by the caretakerMinister for Maritime Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Hussain Haroonthat the US energy giant is ‘close to discovering’ oil reserves bigger thanKuwait in Pakistan.
They said neither a license for oil and gas exploration was awarded toExxon Mobil nor the American multinational oil and gas company is currentlyengaged in the drilling of an exploratory well. Drilling work on thefirst-ever offshore block located near to Karachi is scheduled to start inJanuary 2019, said sources.
The sources also said that the caretaker foreign minister has given anirresponsible statement on a sensitive matter which needs inquiry as it hasadded problems for the ministry, intelligence forces and concerneddepartments. Foreign minister’s statement contained exaggerated figures andit has made a seism movement in the petroleum sector, sources added.
Addressing business leaders at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers ofCommerce and Industry (FPCCI), Haroon on August 4 said that Exxon Mobil isclose to discovering huge oil reserves in Pakistan near the border withIran, and those reserves could even be larger than the oil reserves ofKuwait.