ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United States have agreed to explore new avenues of cooperation in the petroleum and energy sectors.
The understanding was reached during a meeting between Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and US Assistant Secretary of State S. Paul Kapur, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday.
During the meeting, Ali Pervaiz Malik briefed the US Assistant Secretary of State on ongoing reforms in Pakistan’s energy sector, noting that the initiatives aim to increase the use of indigenous resources, improve efficiency, and create a more conducive environment for foreign investment.
The Minister also highlighted that Pakistan has, for the first time, imported six million barrels of crude oil from the United States.
He further identified potential areas for collaboration, including port infrastructure, storage facilities, refinery upgradation, and joint ventures in oil and gas exploration as well as the minerals sector.
In his remarks, the US Assistant Secretary of State said that the recent positive momentum in bilateral relations could be utilised to develop a stronger economic partnership between the two countries.
Earlier, Paul Kapur called on Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and discussed bilateral relations, regional developments and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions between the US and Iran.
In December 2025, US Chargé d’Affaires in Pakistan Natalie Baker announced that the US Export-Import (EXIM) Bank will invest $1.25 billion in the Reko Diq mining project in Balochistan, under a bilateral partnership.
The funds are aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two nations in mineral resources, with a focus on high-quality American mining equipment and services.
Baker highlighted that the Trump administration had made similar agreements a central part of US diplomacy, and expressed commitment to further agreements between US companies and Pakistan in the mining sector.
The Reko Diq project is considered a key initiative in strengthening Pakistan-US economic ties, particularly in the mining and minerals sectors.
