Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik Highlights Government Reforms for sustainability of Petroleum Sector at 31st Annual Technical Conference (ATC)
Islamabad, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Pakistan Section successfully concluded the 31st Annual Technical Conference (ATC) & Exhibition 2026, held on January 28–29.
The Closing Ceremony was graced by the Federal Minister for Petroleum , Ali Pervaiz Malik, as Chief Guest, who was received by the ATC Chairman, Faheem Haider (MD & CEO MariEnergies). Addressing the forum, Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik appreciated the strong participation of local and international companies, the quality of innovative technical papers, and assured the industry of the Government of Pakistan’s continued support. He said that during PM Shehbaz Sharif’s Government Pakistan has taken meaningful steps toward restoring macroeconomic stability. Inflationary pressures have moderated, foreign exchange reserves have improved, and international credit rating agencies as well as multilateral agencies have acknowledged improved fiscal discipline and policy credibility. This stabilization has helped rebuild investor confidence and provides a stronger foundation for long-term investment.Technological shifts, rising demand and global market uncertainties require for us to adopt decisive, investor-friendly, and forward-looking policies. The Government of Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, has therefore placed the oil and gas sector at the core of its national energy security strategy.He highlighted ongoing reforms focused on policy certainty, sector sustainability , and investment facilitation. He also underscored the revival of offshore exploration after nearly 18 years, supported by a major Offshore Bid Round which successfully attracted new partners.Concluding his remarks, the Minister reaffirmed that Pakistan is open for business, offering a clear policy direction, a supportive regulatory framework, and significant untapped resource potential.
He also presented awards to the Student Paper Contest winners and commended the organizers for a successful ATC 2026.
“Energizing the Future from Within: Sustainably, Securely, Strategically,” ATC 2026 featured technical deliberations on AI-enabled subsurface modeling, production optimization, well integrity, offshore basin studies, and carbon management, alongside a high-level panel on Technology, Data & Execution in Pakistan’s Upstream and a Student Career Counselling program.
Faheem Haider, while addressing the closing ceremony, highlighted the unity and collaboration of Pakistan’s oil and gas industry. He praised the remarkable technical papers, emphasized the focus on discovering and developing resources to boost production, and acknowledged the strong support from the Ministry and Government of Pakistan in creating a favorable environment for growth and energy security.
The successful conclusion of ATC 2026 reinforces the conference’s position as Pakistan’s premier forum for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and technology showcase, strengthening collaboration across government, industry, academia, and international stakeholders in support of energy security and sustainable growth.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
