Tapping into Pakistan’s Massive Oil and Gas Reserves

Editor's Note: This report is from oilprice.com an energy intelligence firm which thrive on its expertise and intelligence network for this insight. Geopolitics is not all about oil but it does play a significant role which cannot be overseen by any analyst or policy maker. Pakistan’s Tribal Areas (FATA) and Frontier Regions (FR) are believed to have massive reserves of oil and natural gas—which Pakistani officials have suddenly become very keen to demonstrate. But this is a highly restive, war-torn area where one right move could make all the difference, and one wrong move could ignite a conflict with irreversible consequences. For now, the area remains unexplored and it was only in 2008 when Pakistani geologists began to study the area in earnest, with the support of the local authorities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and the Frontier Region (FR). The results of this research were collected, processed and digitized in June 2012. The geologists discovered seven new oil and gas seepages during the mapping. The geologists also claim that 11 oil and gas exploration companies have already reserved 16 blocks in Fata.

US Ambassador Failed to Propagate Haqqani Evidence

 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—US ambassador Cameron Munter tried to use an interview with the Pakistani state-run radio to peddle a theory linking an Afghan group, the Haqqanis, to the brazen attack on US embassy and NATO office in Kabul. 

But what Mr. Munter did not expect is robust counter-questioning by Murtaza Solangi, the director of the government’s largest media organization, Pakistan Broadcasting Corp.

The US government was quick to accuse Pakistan citing alleged links to the Haqqanis. US officials and think-tanks have long peddled this conspiracy theory without evidence.

How Active is Blackwater in Pakistan

FOREIGN POLICY JOURNAL/Photo

This notorious private contractor is spreading its tentacles in Pakistan for undercover activities on behalf of the US agencies

[Editor's Note: As noted below, Blackwater changed its name to Xe Services last year, but is commonly still referred to by its former name.]

Not too long ago, a wave of concern had swept through Pakistan when the local media began screaming about Blackwater’s growing infiltration in the country and its dubious activities. The mounting pressure to expel this infamous US defense contractor put the Zardari government in a corner. It could neither ignore public pressure nor displease its benefactors in Washington. In the end, it chose to vehemently deny these stories. Pakistan’s interior minister, Rehman Malik, said publicly he would resign if Blackwater is found operating anywhere in Pakistan, as if his resignation would be a great loss for the people.

Risk of U.S. Debt Default

Vice President of STRATFOR Analysis Peter Zeihan explains how the U.S. dollar’s position as the global reserve currency makes default impossible and why the euro and yuan cannot currently assume the role.

India’s ‘most wanted list’ is bogus

By Muhammad Jamil


Within one week after India released the list of most wanted persons allegedly living in Pakistan, at least four persons on the list are either in India or have died. Times of India carried a report about two dreaded terrorists, who the list claimed were hiding in Pakistan. “One of them, investigations revealed is dead and the other lodged in the city’s Cherlapalli prison.

Dawood Ibrahim’s elder brother, Noora, who died of kidney failure in Karachi last year, continued to show up as a wanted accused in the red-corner notice against his name. Chhota Rajan aide Ejaz Pathan, involved in the 1993 serial blasts, died in 2008 at Arthur Road jail after a heart attack. The red-corner notice against him showed him as wanted. Yet another embarrassing case was that of Feroze Abdul Khan, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai blast. He was nabbed from Navi Mumbai last year and is in a Mumbai jail”. With a view to turning up more heat on Pakistan after American Special Forces’ operation in Abbottabad killing Osama bin Laden, India released a list of 50 ‘Most Wanted Persons’ from Pakistan on 11th May 2011.

Israel's Growing Energy Security Concerns

Summary 

During a meeting between the Israeli and Qatari prime ministers May 8 in London, Doha reportedly offered to sell liquefied natural gas to Israel. The rumored offer comes as Egypt, which supplies Israel with about 40 percent of its natural gas needs, is showing an intention to renegotiate the controversial natural gas deal with Israel that has provided energy to the country at below-market rates. A partnership with Qatar may offer some longer term potential for Israel to reduce its dependence on Egyptian energy, but due to infrastructure limitations, Israel likely will not have any choice but to pay a higher price to Cairo in the interim.

CIA has created own Taliban to wreak terror havoc on Pakistan

 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives have infiltrated the Taliban and Al-Qaeda networks, and have created their own Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) force in order to destabilise Pakistan, a Pakistani newspaper has claimed.