pkpatriotic
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Pakistan Willing to Import Gas
14 November 2010
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said bidding for the Pakistani component of Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project would commence shortly.
Gilani made the remark in a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in Islamabad on Thursday, APP reported.
The $7.6 billion project is crucial for Pakistan to meet the fast growing energy crisis, which gives rise to severe electricity shortages.
Pakistan and Iran formally signed the deal in Tehran on June 13, under which Iran will supply Pakistan with natural gas from mid 2014.
Under the deal, Pakistan will import 750 million cubic feet of Iranian gas daily for 25 years.
The pipeline would connect Iran's South Pars gas field with Pakistan's southern Balochestan and Sindh provinces.
Defying a warning from Washington in July, Gilani promised to go ahead with a plan to import Iranian gas.
US special envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, cautioned Pakistan not to "over commit" itself to the deal because it could run afoul of new sanctions against Iran being finalized by Congress.
The pipeline was initially mooted to carry Iranian gas to Pakistan and on to India. India withdrew from negotiations last year after signing a nuclear deal with the United States, but has kept open the option of rejoining the project at a later stage.
According to Iranian ambassador in Islamabad, Mashallah Shakeri, the multibillion pipeline has enhanced Pakistan's strategic importance, particularly in relation to India.
14 November 2010
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said bidding for the Pakistani component of Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project would commence shortly.
Gilani made the remark in a meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in Islamabad on Thursday, APP reported.
The $7.6 billion project is crucial for Pakistan to meet the fast growing energy crisis, which gives rise to severe electricity shortages.
Pakistan and Iran formally signed the deal in Tehran on June 13, under which Iran will supply Pakistan with natural gas from mid 2014.
Under the deal, Pakistan will import 750 million cubic feet of Iranian gas daily for 25 years.
The pipeline would connect Iran's South Pars gas field with Pakistan's southern Balochestan and Sindh provinces.
Defying a warning from Washington in July, Gilani promised to go ahead with a plan to import Iranian gas.
US special envoy to Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, cautioned Pakistan not to "over commit" itself to the deal because it could run afoul of new sanctions against Iran being finalized by Congress.
The pipeline was initially mooted to carry Iranian gas to Pakistan and on to India. India withdrew from negotiations last year after signing a nuclear deal with the United States, but has kept open the option of rejoining the project at a later stage.
According to Iranian ambassador in Islamabad, Mashallah Shakeri, the multibillion pipeline has enhanced Pakistan's strategic importance, particularly in relation to India.
