ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held a meeting with the Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey and discussed the evolving regional situation, energy security, and avenues for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the energy and mining sectors.
During the meeting, the French Ambassador lauded Pakistan’s effective handling of petroleum supply challenges in the region.
He praised the government for ensuring uninterrupted fuel availability and maintaining stability despite volatility in regional markets.
The ambassador said that Pakistan had successfully managed the situation, unlike several other South Asian countries, and congratulated the Minister, remarking that there had not been “even one hour of panic” in Pakistan.
Ali Pervaiz Malik thanked the Ambassador for his remarks and highlighted that Pakistan’s decisive, proactive, and coordinated response enabled the country to navigate the crisis successfully thus far.
He emphasised that the government adopted a strategy of prioritising supply continuity over price shocks, ensuring the availability of petroleum products while also protecting the supply chain’s liquidity.
The Minister further shared that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had established an effective mechanism for swift inter-ministerial decision-making in response to changing supply chain dynamics.
The minister added while Pakistan has shouldered the burden of maintaining supply stability, the government ensured that this burden remains properly funded, avoiding the accumulation of circular debt. He added that the government is now working on measures to provide targeted subsidies to protect vulnerable segments of society.
Ambassador Nicolas Galey reaffirmed that Pakistan and France enjoy strong bilateral relations and that energy cooperation between the two countries has expanded in recent years.
He also shared that French companies have expressed growing interest in Pakistan’s mining sector and expressed optimism that French firms would actively participate in the upcoming Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF), now scheduled for November.
