January 18, 2002	Friday	Ziqa'ad 3, 1422

ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: The federal government will award on Friday a concession agreement with Canadian Hydrocarbon Corporation (Scimitar) for petroleum exploration in Dera Ghazi Khan.

The concession licence would be granted to Scimitar, first of its business venture in Pakistan, for the exploration activities in Safed Koh.

In this regard, a high-level delegation of Scimitar led by its president and chief executive Angus A. Mackenzie and executive vice-president Tim Hargreaves held a meeting with Petroleum Minister Usman Aminuddin here on Thursday.

The delegation briefed the minister on the company’s oil and gas business around the world and its exploration plans in Pakistan.

The minister said that Scimitar’s agreement would be fifth in a row after announcement of new petroleum policy last year while 20 more agreements were being processed for signing shortly.