Pakistan is set to build its first-ever artificial island to boost oil and gas exploration, following interest sparked by US President Donald Trump. The project comes months after Trump praised Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves.”
The island will be located about 30 km off the coast of Sindh, near Sujawal, close to the River Indus. Sujawal is around 130 km from Karachi, Pakistan’s main commercial hub. Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) will construct the island, which will be six feet high to protect drilling operations from high tides. The company aims to complete construction by February next year and start work immediately, with plans to drill around 25 wells, PPL general manager Arshad Palekar told Bloomberg.
Countries like the UAE, Japan, and China have built such islands to increase production capacity or for land reclamation. These islands allow workers to live and operate on-site, saving time and costs compared to traditional offshore rigs. But for Pakistan, building such an island is unprecedented.
Experts warn the project carries risks. Pakistan ranks 50th in global crude oil reserves and imports over 80% of its oil. Its current daily production is roughly one-tenth of India’s. Previous offshore drilling efforts, such as the Kekra-1 well near Karachi in 2019, failed to find oil and led international companies like Exxon Mobil, Kuwait Petroleum, Shell, and TotalEnergies to exit the market.
Trump’s remark on Truth Social, suggesting Pakistan has massive untapped oil reserves and that India might become a buyer, has fueled optimism. The country has recently signed offshore exploration licenses with several firms, including PPL.
The island is being built near the Indus basin, close to India’s Bombay High, which does hold oil. While the location could have potential, finding exploitable reserves remains uncertain.
Public reactions have been mixed. Some social media users criticized the move as an expensive gamble based on a single Trump comment, while others suggested the island could serve only elite interests.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
