Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said in Riyadh that the Government of Pakistan stood shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia during what he described as a moment of trial. He made the remarks at the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Meeting, where he attended at the invitation of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Energy.
Speaking at a plenary session on sustainable energy investment and trade, Malik said his presence reflected Pakistan’s solidarity with the Kingdom. He said he was acting on the directives of Chief of Defense Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He also expressed condolences for those who had lost their lives and said Pakistan strongly denounced the terrorist assaults carried out by the Houthi militia on Saudi territory.
Energy security and investment priorities at the forum
Malik told the session that the global energy sector was entering a new investment cycle. In his view, energy security, affordability and sustainability must move forward together. He said investment was needed not only in renewable energy but also in hydrocarbons, critical minerals and essential infrastructure, including power grids and pipelines.
The minister said the issue extended beyond oil and gas to shipping and insurance. He referred to what he called an unprecedented global energy supply shock in 2026. According to Malik, Pakistan managed the crisis without rationing key energy sources, despite its heavy reliance on imported energy. He credited the government’s response and cooperation from friendly nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait. He also thanked Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman for directly directing collaboration with Pakistan.
Malik said Pakistan was working to strengthen its long-term energy security architecture through several measures:
- developing strategic reserves and a world-class bonded reserves scheme
- increasing indigenous energy production
- building critical infrastructure, including refineries and tank farms
- creating competitive electricity and gas markets
- introducing targeted relief mechanisms
He stressed that international investment and trade frameworks must balance innovation and sustainability with affordability, equity and access. Pakistan, he said, looked forward to working with all IEF member countries on shared energy security goals for future generations.
Bilateral talks with Libya, Qatar and Turkey
On the sidelines of the forum, Malik met Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadek, Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the oil and gas sector. Malik told his counterpart that Pakistan had encouraged its refineries to explore imports of Libyan crude. He said Pakistan aimed to diversify its crude supply sources so that alternative options existed if key maritime routes, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, were disrupted.
The Libyan minister described Pakistan as an important country for Libya. He said he would encourage Libya’s national oil company to allocate greater volumes of crude to Pakistani companies. He also said Libya planned to upgrade its refineries and was interested in learning from Pakistan’s experience in refinery upgrades.
Malik also held a breakfast meeting with Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Qatar’s Energy Minister, to discuss possible collaboration in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry. Separately, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar contacted Malik and said he expected to travel to Pakistan the following month to receive a TPAO seismic vessel. The vessel is to begin data collection in the Indus Basin.
Throughout the meetings, Malik met ministers and executives of energy companies. According to the ministry, he stressed Pakistan’s commitment to global energy cooperation, diversity of supply sources, robust energy infrastructure, and investment in a safe, economical and sustainable energy future.
