Riyadh, October 12, 2026: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik attended the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Addressing the plenary session titled “Investment and Trade in Sustainable Energy Solutions: Making Energy Clean, Accessible and Affordable,” the Federal Minister said Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia during this challenging period. He said his participation reflected Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kingdom, on the special instructions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
Ali Pervaiz Malik strongly condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by the Houthi militia on Saudi territory and expressed condolences over the precious lives lost.
The Minister highlighted that the global energy sector was entering a new investment cycle in which energy security, affordability and sustainability must advance together. He stressed that investment was required not only in renewable energy but also in hydrocarbons, critical minerals and essential infrastructure, including electricity grids and pipelines.
Referring to the unprecedented global energy supply shock of 2026, the Minister noted that the crisis had extended beyond oil and gas to shipping and insurance. Despite Pakistan’s heavy dependence on imported energy, the country had navigated the crisis without resorting to rationing of major energy sources, supported by the government’s response and cooperation from brotherly countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait.
He expressed gratitude to Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman for personally steering energy cooperation with Pakistan.
The Federal Minister said Pakistan was strengthening its long-term energy security framework through strategic reserves, a world-class bonded reserves scheme, increased domestic energy production, critical infrastructure development, including refineries and tank farms, competitive electricity and gas markets, and targeted relief mechanisms.
He emphasized that international investment and trade frameworks must balance innovation and sustainability with affordability, equity and access. Pakistan, he added, looked forward to working with all IEF member countries to advance shared energy security objectives for future generations.
Pakistan, Libya Discuss Crude Oil Cooperation
On the sidelines of the IEF Ministerial Meeting, Ali Pervaiz Malik held a bilateral meeting with Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadek, to explore ways to strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas sector.
The Federal Minister informed his Libyan counterpart that Pakistan had encouraged its refineries to explore imports of Libyan crude oil. He said Pakistan aimed to diversify its crude oil supply sources to strengthen energy security and maintain alternative options in case of disruptions to key maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The Libyan Minister described Pakistan as an important country for Libya and said he would encourage Libya’s national oil company to allocate greater volumes of crude oil to Pakistani companies.
He also noted that Libya planned to upgrade its refineries and expressed interest in learning from Pakistan’s experience in refinery upgradation.
Pakistan and Qatar Explore LNG Cooperation
Ali Pervaiz Malik also held a detailed breakfast meeting with Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, to explore opportunities for cooperation in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector.
Pakistan and Türkiye Discuss Energy Exploration
Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, also called on the Federal Minister for Petroleum. He expressed his intention to visit Pakistan the following month to receive the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) seismic vessel and commence data acquisition in the Indus Basin.
During the forum, Ali Pervaiz Malik also met with international energy leaders, including government ministers and heads of energy companies.
The engagements underscored Pakistan’s commitment to international energy cooperation, diversification of supply sources, resilient energy infrastructure and greater investment in a secure, affordable and sustainable energy future.
