ISLAMABAD, April 27: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon on Thursday said that the government was encouraging and facilitating investment in the oil and gas sector.

The minister was talking to an eight-member Chinese delegation from Sichuan Petroleum headed by its vice-president Zhang Benqen that called on him here on Thursday and exchanged views on investment opportunities in the petroleum sector.

Mr Jadoon asked the Chinese company to bring more rigs for expanding the oil and gas exploration activities in Pakistan. He said that there existed a lot of scope and opportunities for the investors in the oil and gas sectors and invited the Chinese company to participate in the upcoming projects for the mutual advantage.

Mr Zhang briefed the minister about the profile of his company being the largest construction and engineering company of China involved in the oil and gas activities across the world.

He informed that his company had 120 rigs and was already cooperating with OGDCL in the drilling activities by providing them four rigs. He said that one more rig had also been arrived in Pakistan which would help boost the exploration activities.