Trump touts ‘massive’ Pakistan oil deal; experts see no confirmed finds

The US president has again promoted the idea of a “massive” oil development partnership with Pakistan, saying Washington and Islamabad are working to tap large reserves and select a leading operator. The upbeat remarks followed a high-profile White House meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, part of a broader thaw in ties after years of strain. Despite the rhetoric, industry specialists quoted in the report say there is no reliable evidence of major undiscovered oil fields. Pakistan still imports more than four-fifths of its crude needs, a heavy burden on public finances, while domestic output from smaller deposits is estimated at around 65,000 barrels per day. Officials are nonetheless pressing ahead with energy exploration. The government plans to auction 40 offshore and 31 onshore blocks on October 31, inviting US firms among other international bidders. Former petroleum secretary G.A. Sabri cautioned that claims of vast reserves are largely political and warned that security risks and high costs have deterred companies in the past. The story places the president’s comments within a wider diplomatic reset: Pakistan has sought to showcase its natural resources and recent cooperation with the US on regional security to entice investment. But experts emphasise that even in the best-case scenario, proving commercial discoveries and bringing them online would take decades and substantial capital, with no guarantee of success.