US, Muslim country pressing Pakistan to cancel gas deal with Iran

[ajpirzada]

Saturday, June 13, 2009
By Khalid Mustafa

ISLAMABAD: The United States and one Muslim country of the Middle East are exerting immense pressure on Pakistan to cancel the recently- signed gas deal with Iran. Some US officials spent almost half the day on Wednesday in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to discuss the Iran deal.

US authorities are reportedly trying to prevail upon the petroleum ministry bosses to part company with Iran, describing Iran as an “unreliable partner who could ditch Pakistan anytime”, according to one source.

India also faced pressure from the US on joining the project. India has apparently abandoned the project for purely strategic reasons and also because its cushy ‘civil nuclear deal’ with Washington ultimately promises to eliminate its power deficit.

Source revealed a Muslim country was also exerting pressure on Islamabad, though for purely commercial concerns, as it apprehends the export of its fuel to Pakistan, which was being used in the country’s thermal powerhouses for electricity generation, will become negligible with the Iranian gas replacing furnace oil.

Talking to The News, Adviser on Petroleum Dr Asim Husain refused to offer any comment on the identity of the two countries but conceded “tremendous pressure on cancelling the deal”. He declared: “We will materialise the deal in any case as the country desperately needs energy security to maintain economic growth in future.”

He added: “All this gas will be used for power generation of 5,000 MW in thermal powerhouses and replace the furnace oil as an input. This would provide 20 to 23 per cent financial benefit to the power sector as the furnace oil prices are significantly higher than the price of the gas to be imported from Iran.”

He added that Pakistan and Qatar would negotiate a deal on LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) on June 25-26. Pakistan would seek 3.5 metric tonnes per day LNG from Qatar and try to close the LNG deal. In dollar terms the LNG price would be higher than the Iranian gas price

US, Muslim country pressing Pakistan

 

[Omar1984]

The only reason why I think Pakistan should be careful with Iran is because of Iran's close ties with India. However, Iran was the first country to recognize Pakistan in 1947.

Pakistan should put Pakistan's interst first before any other nation.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i think that this is a real bargaining chip. we ask the americans to give us the nuclear civilian deal because we need energy one thing that this cure this is iranian gas

 

[Hasnain2009]

Saudia is stopping us!

 

[Sky_123]

We can't trust on US, even if they made a Nuclear deal with us then there will not be any guaranty that how long that deal will stay, anytime us can scrap the deal. Did u forget F-16 deal.
Its shame that any Muslim country putting pressure on us for there own financial benefit.

 

[Enigma SIG]

Saudia is stopping us!

Absolutely true; on one hand they ship us oil at high rates; and next they pressure us to not deal with another muslim country for our own benefit

that too after exporting so many terrorists to fight on our soil

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

Whatever happened to the bearers of freedom & liberty? A sovereign country cant make biz deals with it s neighbors? I am sure Ghaddari will cave in. India did, to IPI so will Pakistan.

We Pakistanis know the game already while India is still learning th e ropes. I sincerely hope they are able to maintain their sovereignty.

 

[Omar1984]

Absolutely true; on one hand they ship us oil at high rates; and next they pressure us to not deal with another muslim country for our own benefit

that too after exporting so many terrorists to fight on our soil

I thought Saudi Arabia helped Pakistan after US placed sanctions on us in the 90s.

We all know Nawaz Sharif and Musharaf would listen to every word the Saudis would tell us, but PPP always leaned more towards Iran maybe because the Bhuttos/Zardaris are Shias.

Anyways I think we should keep neutral between Saudi Arabia and Iran, we need good relations with both countries. Iran is our neighbor and Saudi Arabia is the wealthiest Muslim country in the planet so we need to have good relations with both countries.

However, we need this gas deal with Iran for Pakistan's best interst, meanwhile Pakistan should continue exploring for its own gas reserves. Pakistan is blessed with so much natural resources and most of it still remains untapped.

 

[IceCold]

Time for us to show middle finger to both the US and this mysterious Muslim country and tell them politely but bluntly " mind your own business".

 

[Hasnain2009]

Agreed!!! We shld keep good relations with both KSA and Iran, but 1st we shld look for our country!

 

[Hasnain2009]

I thought Saudi Arabia helped Pakistan after US placed sanctions on us in the 90s..

But now they are funding millitants and madarsaas in pakistans!

 

[Omar1984]

But now they are funding millitants and madarsaas in pakistans!

They always funded madarsaas in Pakistan and the ORIGINAL Taliban. The newly formed Pakistani TTP is being funded by some other countries.

 

[ajpirzada]

i think we should go for this deal even if US offers us a nuclear deal. their track record is really poor when it comes to pakistan.
also it is always gud to have strong relations with ur neighbours. iran is rit now under sanctions. helpin them at this stage will be gud for us in future

 

[PeacefulIndian]

I think Pakistan may go for this pipeline purely for strategic reasons. That is - have good relations with Iran. Remember that Iran is also friendly to India, but has started to become a bit uncomfortable nowadays due to growing India-US-Israel cooperation. If Pakistan manages to get this pipeline, it will have more cordial relations with Iran.

And this also has one more benefit, which may not be so tangible but will be important. There are rumors that India is looking to send a sizable army to Afghanistan in future, with Iran being the only possible supply root for the troops. If Pakistan has this deal with Iran, that root is as good as closed for India.

 

[Patriot]

I think we should maintain good relations with Iran..It shares a border with Iran plus they wont be funding Madrasshas or Wahabi education in Pakistan like Saudis.