Pakistan is to allow Chinese Geological Survey to explore oil, gas and other minerals on its soil after formal approval of the Federal Cabinet, and signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), official sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday.
They said that a MoU on 'geosciences co-operation' in the fields of geology and minerals was signed between Pakistan's Ministry of Petroleum and Chinese Ministry of Land Resources in October, 2008. The MoU provides for co-operative research on geosciences, geological survey and mineral potential evaluation, management of mineral exploration and development and other areas of mutual interest to the parties.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs initiated a summary to the Prime Minister for co-operation between the Chinese Geological Survey and Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) which indicated that GoP had requested the Chinese government to identify its specialised entities that can undertake a comprehensive scientific geological survey of Pakistan to explore oil, gas and mineral resources.
Chinese Geological Survey in the Chinese Ministry of Land Resources has now been identified as one such entity. The area identified for co-operation between the GSP and Chinese Geological Survey has been approved by the Prime Minister.
The MoU identifies the following areas for co-operation: (i) Research and correlation on basic geology; (ii) geological maps compilation and metallogenic correlation; (iii) geo-database construction and sharing; (iv) mineral resources assessment and exploration technology; (v) geological environment and geo-hydrology; (vi) modern technology and methodology and geo-samples analyses; and (vii) other areas of co-operation of mutual interest to the parties.
Exchange and co-operation will be conducted in the following forms under the ambit of MoU: (i) Exchange of scientific and technical information; (ii) exchange of study visits and scientists; (iii) collaboration on individual research activities; (iv) joint organisations of symposia, conferences workshops and lectures and (v) other forms of co-operation as may be mutually agreed between the parties. Sources said that the Ministry of Defence has conveyed its no objection, from terrain point of view, for co-operation before Pakistan and China for Geological Survey.