DERA GHAZI KHAN, Feb 24: Oil and gas were explored at Rodu Top here on Thursday in Tuman Qaisrani, some 200km from here.

Reports said Chinese engineers had started their work by installing a new drilling machine which was brought from China by road a month back. The team, comprising 23 members, drilled out oil & gas from Rodu Top well No.3.

Meanwhile, people of the area expressed their happiness over the oil exploration news by traditional Balochi dance. Talking to Dawn district Naib Nazim Javed Iqbal Qaisrani said the oil exploration would go a long way in the socio-economic progress of the area as well as of the country.

He said the project was initiated in 1972 and after conducting primary drilling, it was halted due to some unknown reasons. A couple of years ago, the project was restarted by awarding the contract to a Canadian company which could not manage it, he said. Thereafter, the contract was given to the Dewan Group of Pakistan, which awarded a sub-contract of drilling to GW77 of China.

Requesting anonymity, a spokesman for the project said that drilling work on well No 2 would start soon. Meanwhile, security at the oil field has been tightened for the Chinese engineers.

Border Military Police and Baluch Levy sources told the correspondent that 14 new pickets had been established around the wells while four teams were patrolling the area. Chinese engineer Wang qi said: "We want to do something for Pakistan and for the relationship between both the countries."