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KARACHI: Pakistan said it has awarded 23 offshore exploration blocks to four consortiums led by local energy companies, some partnered with foreign firms including Turkiye’s national oil company TPAO.

In Pakistan’s first such bidding round in nearly two decades, its energy ministry said on Friday that bids were awarded for 23 of 40 offshore blocks offered, covering around 53,500 square kilometers.

The energy ministry listed state-run Oil and Gas Development Co. Ltd. (OGDCL), Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) and MariEnergies, along with privately-owned Prime Energy, which is backed by Pakistan’s Hub Power Company (Hubco), among the successful bidders.

TPAO secured a 25 percent stake in one of the awarded blocks and the right to operate it after signing a joint bidding agreement with Pakistan Petroleum Ltd. (PPL) earlier this year to explore the country’s offshore prospects.

Other partners include Hong Kong-based United Energy Group, Orient Petroleum, a major local independent producer, and Fatima Petroleum, part of Pakistan’s Fatima Group conglomerate.

The four winning consortiums, led by OGDCL, PPL, Mari Petroleum and Prime Energy, collectively pledged about $80 million in exploration work over the initial three-year period, the energy ministry said.

Total investment could rise to between $750 million and $1 billion if drilling proceeds, it added.

Pakistan’s 300,000 square kilometer offshore zone, bordering energy-rich Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, has seen just 18 wells drilled since the country’s independence in 1947, too few to fully assess its hydrocarbon potential.

Pakistan, which imports about half its oil, is seeking to revive foreign interest after the failure of the 2019 Kekra-1 well led to the exit of US major Exxon Mobil.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hoping for a “positive” outcome of its next round of talks with Afghanistan in Istanbul, the foreign office in Islamabad said on Friday, a day after both sides agreed to extend their ceasefire.

The two neighbors engaged in deadly clashes this month that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead, before a temporary ceasefire was reached in Doha on Oct. 19. A second round of talks that started in Istanbul on Oct. 25 failed to reach breakthrough earlier this week, but Turkiye announced on Thursday evening that the ceasefire would continue.

The clashes erupted after Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan against Pakistani Taliban militants it says are based there and responsible for attacks on its forces. Kabul condemned the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and denies sheltering the group. The border, which runs more than 2,600 km (1,600 miles), has long been a source of friction with frequent skirmishes and mutual accusations over militant sanctuaries.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing on Friday, Pakistani foreign office spokesman Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad has always been desirous of peace and a stable Afghanistan, but the Pakistani armed forces stand ready to take “all possible measures to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and ensure safety and security of its people.”

“Pakistan would continue to remain engaged in the mediation process and hopes for a positive outcome for the 6th November talks [in Istanbul],” Andrabi said, appreciating Qatar and Turkiye for their mediation. “They’ve been making their best efforts for an amicable and peaceful resolution of the issue.”

Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil by militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that has stepped up attacks inside Pakistan in recent years. Kabul denies the allegation.

The clashes erupted on Oct. 11 after Pakistan conducted airstrikes on what it called TTP-affiliated targets in Afghanistan. Kabul said it was a violation of its sovereignty.

“All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on the violating party,” Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry said of the October 25–30 talks.

It added that a follow-up meeting would be held in Istanbul on November 6 to decide how the mechanism will be implemented, and that Turkiye and Qatar “stand ready to continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability.”

Kabul government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued a separate statement shortly before midnight in Istanbul confirming the conclusion of the talks and saying both sides had agreed to continue discussions in future meetings.

A senior Pakistani security official, requesting anonymity, said Islamabad viewed the Istanbul understanding as a welcome step but a conditional truce, hinging on verifiable action by Kabul.

“This ceasefire is not open-ended or unconditional. The single litmus test for its continuation is that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan and will take clear, verifiable and effective steps against [militants],” the official said.

“If Afghanistan fails to deliver verifiable proof of agreed steps, or if militants continue to launch attacks from Afghan soil, Pakistan will deem the ceasefire violated and reserves all options to safeguard its sovereignty and citizens.”