By Mushtaq Ghumman

Copyright brecorder

ISLAMABAD: Polish Ambassador to Pakistan, Maciej Pisarski, on Wednesday raised concerns over challenges being faced by Polish companies operating in Pakistan’s energy sector.

The ambassador brought up these issues during a meeting with Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, where both sides discussed a wide range of bilateral initiatives in the fields of trade, investment, energy, mining, and agriculture.

The meeting took place amid heightened diplomatic engagement by Pakistan, including recent meetings with ASEAN ambassadors and ongoing collaboration with Saudi Arabia on a trade enhancement roadmap.

Minister Jam Kamal Khan acknowledged the significant presence of Poland’s leading energy firm, ORLEN (formerly Polish Oil and Gas Company), calling it a “success story” that demonstrates how persistence and patience can lead to substantial returns.

ORLEN has been operating in Pakistan for over 26 years, investing approximately USD 500 million in oil and gas exploration and production, primarily in the Sindh–Balochistan region. The company now plans to double its investment over the next decade.

Ambassador Pisarski highlighted ORLEN’s recent exploratory concessions — including Baran and Sirmazarani West, adjacent to its existing operations in the Kirtan Mountains — as highly promising. He also raised several outstanding issues that need to be resolved to advance mutual interests.

In response, Minister Khan assured the ambassador that Pakistan would coordinate with relevant authorities to address these concerns, safeguard investor confidence, and ensure the smooth operation of foreign businesses.

The two sides also explored the potential for collaboration in agriculture and food processing, inspired by Poland’s transformation of its apple industry into a year-round export success.

Minister Khan invited Polish companies to invest in cold storage, preservation, waxing, grading, and warehousing facilities in Gilgit-Baltistan and Balochistan, citing the EDF’s successful solar-powered chili drying project as an example of fast-tracked development through innovative funding.

Ambassador Pisarski welcomed the proposal and pointed to Poland’s expertise in warehousing technology, phytosanitary standards, and logistics, which he said could help reduce transport costs and enhance the quality of Pakistan’s agricultural exports. Minister Khan emphasized that combining Polish technology with Pakistan’s cost-effective raw materials and labour could unlock significant value for both nations.

Turning to mining and minerals, Minister Khan outlined Pakistan’s strategic shift toward exploration and development of mineral resources over the next five years, particularly in Balochistan, in response to rising domestic energy demands. He invited Polish firms to bring their international experience in copper, lignite, and downstream processing to Pakistan’s emerging mining sector.

Ambassador Pisarski noted that Poland is the world’s fourth-largest producer of lignite and eighth-largest producer of copper, and expressed readiness to explore joint ventures in this area.

On the cultural front, Ambassador Pisarski proposed naming a street in Islamabad after Air Commodore Wladyslaw Turovich, a Polish officer who played a pivotal role in establishing the Pakistan Air Force in 1948 and later settled in Karachi. Both sides agreed that honouring this shared history would deepen people-to-people ties.

The two parties agreed to finalise specific initiatives, potential agreements, and pilot projects through high-level engagements. Minister Khan stressed the importance of moving from ideas to implementation and ensuring Pakistan’s regulatory and institutional frameworks align with investor expectations.

Concluding the meeting, Minister Jam Kamal Khan reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to building a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership with Poland across multiple sectors.

Ambassador Pisarski expressed gratitude for Pakistan’s active support of Polish investors and affirmed Warsaw’s intent to deepen engagement with Islamabad.

“ORLEN’s two-decade stay in Pakistan shows that resilience and partnership pay off. We want more Polish companies to follow this path,” the minister said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025