RAWALPINDI, Aug 19: The district government of Karak has appealed to national and foreign oil companies to continue their operation in Gurguri pledging to provide protection to investors.

Talking to Dawn from Karak, District Nazim Rehmat Salam said that there was no security problem for oil and gas exploration companies as the area people had been persuaded to avoid blocking roads and damaging installations.

He said that security measures had been discussed in detail during a meeting held on Aug 15 at the Home Department of NWFP in which foreign and national companies had been assured of providing security arrangements.

Mr Salam said that oil and gas companies had awarded contracts to investors of other provinces which annoyed the local contractors, adding that now the dispute had been resolved.

Two foreign petroleum companies -- MOL, Schlamberger --, and three local companies -- Sui Northern Gas Pipelines, Oil and Gas Development Corporation and Pakistan Petroleum Limited -- have suspended their operation in Karak due to security reasons.

The Gurguri gas plant has the potential of producing 240 million cubic feet of gas that would be supplied to southern and central NWFP.