Pakistan seeks Libyan crude as it diversifies oil supplies amid Middle East supply disruptions

Pakistan is urging its refineries to consider importing Libyan crude oil in order to diversify its energy supplies, according to Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik. The minister made this announcement during a meeting at the 17th International Energy Forum (IEF) Ministerial Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The discussion took place on the sidelines of the event, where Malik held a bilateral meeting with Khalifa Rajab Abdulsadek, the Minister of Oil and Gas of Libya.

During his conversation with the Libyan minister, Malik conveyed Pakistan's intention to diversify its crude oil sources to enhance energy security and maintain alternative supply options in case of disruptions to crucial maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Khalifa Rajab expressed his appreciation for Pakistan's support and stated that Libya would encourage its national oil company to supply more crude oil to Pakistani companies.

He also mentioned that Libya was planning to upgrade its refineries and was interested in learning from Pakistan's experiences in refinery modernization. Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar joined the meeting and expressed his interest in visiting Pakistan next month to receive a seismic vessel from Turkey to begin data acquisition in the Indus Basin.

Malik also met with the Energy Minister of Qatar, Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, to discuss potential cooperation in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector. During the IEF, Malik addressed the plenary session titled "Investment and Trade in Sustainable Energy Solutions: Making Energy Clean, Accessible and Affordable," emphasizing that the global energy sector is entering a new investment cycle that must focus on energy security, affordability, and sustainability.

He highlighted the need for investment not only in renewable energy but also in hydrocarbons, critical minerals, and essential infrastructure like grids and pipelines. Malik stressed that Pakistan had successfully navigated the global energy supply shock of 2026 without resorting to rationing, thanks to the government's responses and cooperation from friendly nations such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.

The minister also highlighted that Pakistan is working to strengthen its long-term energy security through strategic reserves, a bonded reserves scheme, greater indigenous energy production, critical infrastructure, competitive markets, and targeted relief mechanisms. He stressed that international investment and trade frameworks should balance innovation, sustainability, affordability, equity, and access, and that Pakistan is eager to collaborate with other IEF member countries to achieve shared energy security objectives for future generations.