ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif encouraged Azerbaijan to explore oil and gas investment opportunities in Pakistan, his office said this week, as Islamabad reviewed trade, economic and investment exchanges with its regional ally.
The statement followed Sharif’s meeting with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov on Tuesday, who is on a visit to Pakistan with a high-level delegation. The Pakistani prime minister visited Azerbaijan in November to discuss bilateral cooperation in trade, energy and defense sectors.
During the talks, the two sides conducted an “extensive review” of bilateral trade and investment cooperation, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said about Sharif’s meeting with Jabbarov. It also said the two agreed on the need to accelerate efforts to diversify and deepen economic exchanges, with discussions covering defense production, petroleum and minerals, infrastructure development, dairy and livestock, hospitality and the information technology sectors, the statement added.
“Prime Minister Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s proposal to establish a Pakistan‑Azerbaijan Joint Investment Company with equal contributions from both countries,” the PMO said on Tuesday. “He also welcomed Azerbaijan’s interest in the White Oil Pipeline Project and encouraged SOCAR to explore upstream oil and gas opportunities in Pakistan.”
