Pakistan is now the second largest CNG users country in the world, Petroleum & Natural Resources Minister Amanullah Jadoon says. The CNG sector has attracted over one billion dollar investment during the last few years as a result of liberal and encouraging policies of the Pakistan government, the minister told the Board of Governors of Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP). The minister said the government would encourage private sector to set up CNG equipment manufacturing plants in Pakistan in order to save heavy foreign exchange on the import of CNG equipment. Jadoon said that as a result of introducing investor friendly policies and deregulation of the petroleum sector by the government, the oil and gas exploration in the onshore and offshore areas attracted an unprecedented direct and indirect investment in Pakistan. He said that Rekodiq Copper Project being undertaken by the Chilean Antofagasta Company with investment of $6 billion in Chagai District of Balochistan Province would place Pakistan on the World Copper map shortly. The minister said that Pakistan is endowed with enormous energy potential and underlined the need to promote the research and development activities on modern line to tap the unexplored oil, gas and mineral deposits to meet the growing energy needs of the country. He said that HDIP, which is the prime research and development organization should introduce latest technologies to boost the oil, gas and mineral exploration activities in Pakistan. Jadoon said that the government would provide better incentives package to the professionals engaged in the hydrocarbon research and development activities aimed at to raise their living standard in a competitive environment.
