The Legal 500

Haidermota & Co advises power generation companies, domestic and international lenders, and investors on regulatory issues (including monopolisation) purchase, implementation, and supply agreements, as well as acquisitions and divestments. It recently acted for senior lenders and participating banks on the Orient Powerproject (212.7MW, net), Pakistan’s first locally financed, greenfield thermal power project. Ali Asgher Khan and Umar Shereef are recommended.

The ‘highly regarded’ Orr, Dignam & Co team advises on upstream and mid-stream oil and gas projects, as well as wind power projects in the alternative energy sector. It is currently advising on the establishment of a new refinery, and has advised on all matters relating to a proposed transnational pipeline. The team acts for IPPs, refineries, suppliers and contractors. Zahir Riaz and Aliya Yusuf are recommended.

Rizvi, Isa, Afridi & Angell advises national and international sponsors and lenders in corporate financing, concessions and regulatory frameworks in the oil, gas, hydropower and alternative energy sectors. It is advising Inter State Gas System (Private) Ltd on the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. It is also assisting International Resource Group in its power distribution improvement programme. The firm also acted for Laraib Energy on its landmark hydropower project. Ahsan Rizvi is recommended.

Amhurst Brown acts for national energy providers and multinational integrated oil companies in corporate and dispute resolution matters. Clients have included BP and Petronas. Javaid Akhtar is recommended.

Due to its large lender-side client base and project finance experience, Kabraji & Talibuddin advises on a range of power and energy matters. Notably, it acted for the lenders in Pakistan’s first IPP-run hydropower project. It is also active in the wind power sector. Kairas Kabraji is recommended.

The small Islamabad-based firm of Khan & Piracha advises domestic and international clients principally on energy sector-related transactions. Clients include Pakistan Oilfields Ltd, Great Wall Drilling Company (China) and El Paso International Energy. Saleem Zulfiqar Khan is the primary contact.

Mandviwalla & Zafar advises an array of clients whose business involves power project development, oil and gas exploration, or the generation, distribution and transmission of energy. It advises national and international clients on applicable regulatory frameworks and domestic laws, licensing and all aspects of setting up power and alternative energy projects in Pakistan. Clients have included Tapal Energy, Tomen, and Beacon Energy. Mehmood Mandviwalla is recommended.

Abraham & Sarwana’s team has advised the likes of Sui Southern Gas, Siemens Power Ventures and International Power Global Developments. The firm is also known for its project finance work. Farooq Abdullah and SA Sarwana are the key contacts.

Az Zaman Advocates & Legal Consultants advises banks, power companies and government organisations, and focuses its practice on power, energy and gas matters. Clients have included Oil and Gas Development Company, Hub Power and Japan Power Generation. Khaliq-uz-zaman Khan is recommended.

Chima & Ibrahim draws on its project financing expertise and advises on independent power projects, including greenfield projects. Its clients include Schlumberger Seaco Inc, Occidental Petroleum Inc and Dana Gas PJSC (UAE). Salman Chima is a primary contact.

The boutique firm of Faisal & Partners Advocates & Legal Advisers mainly advises sponsor-side clients on domestic and international projects issues. Clients have included a consortium of banks, a Pakistan government department, AES and Pyramid Petroleum. Faisal Islam is the key contact.

Hassan & Hassan (Advocates) has advised a notable client base including JJVL and Saif Power. Parvez Hassan is recommended.

Liaquat Merchant Associates advised banks on financing facilities for the Hub Power Company and a standby letter of credit to secure the fuel supply to the station. Darakhshan Vohra heads the team.

Mohsin Tayebaly & Co represents banks and financial institutions in high-value projects, including BoPET projects and the setting-up of gas-fired thermal captive power plants. It represented Samba Bank Ltd in financing OPI Gas (Private) Ltd in the acquisition of a large shareholding in Shell Gas LPG Ltd in Pakistan.

Mujtaba Jamal Law Associates represented a major Pakistan business group in negotiations with foreign consultants on a feasibility study and design contract for a power plant. It also advised a UAE-based company in bidding for a major infrastructure development project in Pakistan by way of a joint venture arrangement with a Pakistani company.

Qureshi Law Associates acts extensively for British Petroleum Pakistan Exploration and Production Inc (‘BPP’) and has acted for its subsidiary Catrol Pakistan (Private) Ltd. Recent work includes the sale of three offshore exploration blocks and the sale of BPP to United Energy Group (Hong Kong). Adnan Aslam Qureshi is the key contact.

Vellani & Vellani advises domestic and foreign lenders on project finance aspects of power generation and port infrastructure projects. It also advises on the production and supply of oil and natural gas, petroleum concessions and exploration. Badaruddin F Vellani is recommended.