Pak-Tajikistan transit route to be established

[Edevelop]

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif Monday said that the gas, road, railways and transmission line link between Tajikistan and Pakistan is necessary for the economic interests of the two countries.

He said this during a meeting with a delegation from Tajikistan here, which comprised of Minister of State for Reserves of Tajikistan, Noor Muhammad Akhmedov, Ambassador of Tajikistan in Pakistan Jononov Sherali and other senior officials.

Noor Muhammad said that Tajikistan was interested in transportation of crude oil from Kuwait via Pakistan. Therefore, there is need of services required from Pakistan regarding refining crude oil and transporting to Tajikistan.

While emphasising this route, he said that it is the best and possibly cheapest route to import via Pakistan.

He said that as Tajikistan is a landlocked country, road and railway link between two countries would not only boost economic activities but also strengthen the bilateral relations which would ultimately upgrade the standard of living in the region.

He said that Tajikistan imports 90 percent sugar and 50 percent fertilizers from Pakistan at present.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that both countries must think of railway and road link between two countries which would facilitate the cheapest transportation of goods between the two countries.

He also said that these projects would be comprehensively discussed in the coming meeting of Joint Ministerial Commission which would be held in the mid of the coming year.

Pak-Tajikistan transit route to be established

 

[zaid butt]

already posted

 

[Muhammad Omar]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has agreed to facilitate landlocked Tajikistan to import more than 100,000 tonnes of oil from Kuwait via Torkham and also extend surplus wheat to Dushanbe.

Informed sources told Dawn that Tajikistan was currently in talks with Kuwait for import of 100,000 tonnes of crude oil in the first phase and gradually increase it to 1-2 million tonnes in few years.

President Emomali Rahmonov, who is visiting Kuwait now a days, dispatched a special delegation to request Pakistan provide services for the oil movement including a refinery and transportation facilities.

On Monday, Minister of State for Reserves of Tajikistan Noor Muhammad Akhmedov and Tajik Ambassador in Pakistan Jononov Sherali had first round of talks with Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Mohammad Asif, who is chairperson of the Joint Ministerial Commission. The delegation would also hold talks with ministers for commerce and petroleum on Tuesday before flying back.

The sources said they also requested to facilitate setting up of an oil refinery near Karachi where crude oil imported from Kuwait could be processed. On a question, the visiting minister was also reported to have informed Mr Asif that main requirements for Tajikistan would be diesel and petrol while remaining products could be used in Pakistan or re-exported.

He said Tajikistan would welcome Pakistan to have its refinery from which Dushanbe would like to have dedicated supplies of major projects or Tajikistan could also consider arranging investments for a refinery provided Islamabad facilitated other services.

He said Dushanbe was discussing import of 100,000 tonnes of crude in the first stage which would be increased to 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 tonnes in phases because of low transportation cost.

The visiting minister said his country also wanted to purchase wheat from Pakistan to benefit from low transportation cost.

The two sides also discussed involvement of Pakistan Railways (PR) and laying of a rail line from Torkham to Tajikistan. They agreed to include laying of rail line to Tajikistan in the upcoming JMC meeting due next month where PR authorities would also be invited for technical input and feasibility study.

Mr Asif on the occasion said the gas, road, railways and transmission link between Tajikistan and Pakistan was necessary for the economic interests of the two countries.

It was agreed that the transportation route via Pakistan was best and possibly cheapest route. They noted that Tajikistan was a landlocked country and road and railway link between two countries would not only boost economic activities but also strengthen the bilateral relationship which would ultimately upgrade the standard of living in the region.

The visiting minister said the his country imported 90 per cent of sugar and 50pc fertilisers from Pakistan, an official statement said.

Mr Asif agreed that both countries must work on rail and road link to facilitate the cheapest transportation of goods.

Published in Dawn December 23th , 2014

 

[Edevelop]

Shortest route for them from Kuwait could have been via Iran and Afghanistan but I guess they want to trust us cuz we don't have rivalries, are technically more stable, not sanctioned by any one in the world, and China to support us in developing projects

 

[Edevelop]

Tajikistan seeks transit route, refining facility from Pakistan to import crude oil

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that Pakistan appreciates Tajikistan's initiative to import crude Oil from Kuwait and to process it in Pakistan into refined products.
He said this in a meeting with a visiting Tajik delegation led by Noor Muhammad Akmedov, Minister of State for Reserves/Director of Agency, said a press release.

The visiting Minister was accompanied by Sherali S. Jononov, Ambassador of Tajkistan to Pakistan, Zubaidullo Zubaidov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to Kuwait.

Tajikistan Minister for Reserves noted that Tajiskistan was a landlocked country and said that his country was interested in importing crude oil from Kuwait to the Karachi port.

The imported crude oil will be refined in Pakistani refineries and the refined products will be transported to Tajikistan. He sought help from Pakistan government to facilitate their plan.

Apart from import if crude oil and refining facility, Tajik Minister also wanted Pakistan's help to maintain their reserves in case of any shortage or adversity.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan has adequate refining capacity and Tajikistan can benefit from this facility.

The Minister told the visiting delegation that in Pakistan, oil refineries are mostly in private sector, however, government of Pakistan can facilitate, the negotiation process with the refineries.

The Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources ensured the Tajik delegation of full support and cooperation from the government of Pakistan and said that this initiative will play a pivotal role to boost the economic ties between the two countries.

Tajik Minister also invited the Minister Petroleum and Minister of State to visit Tajikistan in the near future.

The delegation comprised of Sherali S. Jononov, Ambassador of Tajkistan to Pakistan, Zubaidullo Zubaidov, Ambassador of Tajikistan to Kuwait, L. N. Yan, Deputy Director, State Company on "Oil Reserves" Marufjon Abdurahmonov- Consul, Tajikistan Embassy in Islamabad, Shohrat Olimov Chief Specialist, Agency and Sh.Z. Niyozov, Assistant Director, Agency.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan, Secretary MP&NR and other officials of the Ministry were also present in the meeting.

Tajikistan seeks transit route, refining facility from Pakistan to import crude oil

 

[Muhammad Omar]

Tajikistan to import wheat, sugar

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday assured a Tajik business delegation that Pakistan government would provide all possible facilities to private sector for exporting wheat and sugar to Tajikistan.

A five-member Tajik delegation, led by Minister and Chairman Agency for State Material Reserves of Tajikistan Nurmahmad Akhmedov, met Dar to discuss bilateral trade relations, particularly immediate import of sugar and wheat from Pakistan.

Dar informed the meeting that private exporters could send sugar or wheat to Tajikistan with prior permission of the government.

He further said the Tajik side could discuss modalities for wheat and sugar import with private sector trading companies/exporters.

Akhmedov said Pakistan’s private sector companies were very active in Tajikistan and there were bright prospects of growth in trade and business linkages between the two countries.

He said Tajikistan is a landlocked country which needs better connectivity in the region, adding his country had plans to avail the facilities at Karachi and Gwadar ports for trade.

Akhmedov informed Dar that they had plans to import crude oil from Kuwait and avail refinery facilities of Pakistan before onward supply to Tajikistan.

Dar said a proposal regarding use of Pakistan’s refineries by Tajikistan for refinement of crude oil could be duly considered.

He mentioned the CASA-1000 project and hoped for its speedy progress which would help resolve the energy issues of Pakistan.

The Tajik minister said that with the realisation of the Pak-Afghan-Tajikistan transit trade agreement, trade between these countries and in the region would flourish.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2014