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Türkiye's state-owned oil company, Turkish Petroleum (TPAO), is expected to launch seismic surveys off Pakistan's coast no later than October, with preparations for its Islamabad office nearly complete, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Pervaiz Malik announced.
Speaking at the Türkiye-Pakistan Business Forum in Istanbul, Malik said the necessary visa procedures have been completed and TPAO is pressing ahead with plans to establish its office in the Pakistani capital.
"We expect TPAO's seismic survey vessels to reach Pakistan's shores in September or October. Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and I will personally welcome the ships. After the seismic surveys are completed, we expect drilling activities to begin in about six months," Malik said.
The latest initiative builds on agreements announced in December 2025, when TPAO secured three of the 23 offshore blocks awarded in Pakistan's first offshore licensing round in nearly two decades.
The Turkish company also won two onshore exploration licenses in a separate auction later that year. The cooperation includes exploration and production agreements between TPAO and Pakistani firms Mari Energies, Fatima, OGDCL, PPL, Prime and GHPL.
"Our per capita energy consumption remains well below Türkiye's level of around four tons of oil equivalent. As we focus on expanding manufacturing, our energy intensity is expected to increase. That makes Pakistan's hydrocarbon and energy sector a significant opportunity for investors," Malik remarked.
Separately, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar urged the two countries to strengthen economic ties as global trade and investment patterns continue to shift.
He argued that Türkiye and Pakistan should turn their longstanding political relationship into stronger commercial cooperation by making better use of their strategic location linking Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
"In this period of uncertainty, Pakistan and Türkiye should not fall behind these changes. We must join forces and move forward together," Dar said.
Dar invited Turkish businesses to invest in energy, mining, critical minerals, energy infrastructure, information technology, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism and the defense industry.
He also pointed to artificial intelligence, digital transformation, financial technology, advanced engineering and research and development as promising areas for future joint projects.
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