Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline (IPP) News & Updates.

[UmarJustice]

Cabinet gives final approval to Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project: Kaira


Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the federal cabinet has given final approval to Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project.

Briefing media after cabinet meeting here on Wednesday‚ the Information Minister said the cabinet‚ which held its meeting with Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in the chair‚ also set up a four-member committee under Finance Minister to monitor work on the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project.

The minister said that work on the construction of the Pakistani side of the pipeline will be undertaken soon at a cost of one point five billion dollars. He said that work is continuing on the proposed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the cabinet also gave approval to Strategic Trade Policy whose details will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).

He said that the cabinet was informed that during July-December 2012‚ inflation remained seven point nine‚ which is the lowest in recent history of the country.

Information Minister said that the cabinet decided to empower the office of Ombudsman to institutionalize the process of accountability and provide speedy justice to the people. He said that the cabinet decided to give administrative and financial autonomy to the office of Ombudsman.

He said that previously eleven different departments were carrying out accountability while now all these departments have been streamlined under the office of the Ombudsman. He said that departments will be bound to provide relevant information to the office of the Ombudsman within fifteen days failing which disciplinary action will be taken against them.

The Minister said that the office of the Ombudsman will decide appeals within forty-five days and it will also be authorized to review its decisions. He said that appeal against the Ombudsman's decisions can only be made to the President within one hundred and twenty days.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said that the tenure of the office of the ombudsman will be four years and the method for his removal will be the same as that of the judges of senior judiciary.

The Minister said that the cabinet decided to award the contract of operationalizing Gwadar Deep Sea Port to China Overseas Port Holding Limited. He said that previously the contract had been awarded to Singapore Port Authority but there were proposals to change the company.

He said that now the Singaporean company will share the task of operationalizing the port with China Overseas Port Holding Limited and transfer the responsibility to it.

Qamar Zaman Kaira said that Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf appreciated performance of the present assemblies and said that there is no precedence of what these assemblies have done.

He said that the assemblies have provided a basis for handling any threat to the system.

Cabinet gives final approval to Pak-Iran Gas Pipeline Project: Kaira | The Nation

 

[A.Rafay]

President for speedy work on Pak-Iran projects

ISLAMABAD – President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday called for early finalization and implementation of Pak-Iran projects especially in the energy sector, transportation & connectivity and trade and commercial activities in order to promote greater bilateral cooperation on one hand and to bolster trade and economic ties at regional as well as bilateral level.He said this during his meeting with Iranian delegation headed by Ali Akbar Velayati, Senior Adviser to the Supreme Leader of Iran on International Affairs here at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Wednesday.The delegation included Alireza Haghighian, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, Mahdi Ahari Mostafavi, Deputy of International Affairs Department of Supreme Leader office, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Deputy of Minister of Foreign Affairs in Asia and Oceania Affairs, Dr. Ali Askari, Deputy of International Affairs, Cultural and Islamic Communications Organization and others.Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Finance Minister Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik, Minister for Water &Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Secretary General to the President M. Salman Faruqui, Advisor to PM on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr. Asim Hussain and Jalil Abbas Jilani, Foreign Secretary and other senior officials were present from the Pakistan side.Briefing about the meeting, Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar said that that the Pak-Iran bilateral relations with special reference to various economic projects such as Pak-Iran Gas pipeline, rail and roads connectivity, electricity import and wheat export were discussed besides regional situation and other matters of mutual concern.The spokesperson said that the President extended felicitation to the Iranian leadership on their forthcoming national day that falls on February 11. The President said that the people of Pakistan have special attachment with their Iranian brethren and highly value their fraternal ties with them.The President said that it was encouraging to see that the bilateral equation between the two countries was following an upward trajectory. However, he stressed, the two countries must gear up efforts for early finalization and implementation of various economic projects that would not only further strengthen the bilateral relations but would help in meeting the mutual requirements of one another.The President said that taking advantage of our historical, cultural and religious commonalities, concerted efforts should be made to increase trade and economic interaction among the people of the two countries. The President said that there was an urgent need to address the issue of tariff and non-tariff barriers so as to promote mutual trade and to increase trade volume between the two countries. Suggesting encouragement of trade in local currencies, the President said that the two countries should seriously consider preferential tariff and free trade arrangements.He said that better and greater connectivity was also critical for bolstering economic interactions at bilateral as well as regional level. He said that ECO Container Train would revolutionize cargo and transit facilities between the two countries.The President also urged for the need to further facilitate visa procedures and opening new border posts for greater connectivity and interactions.Discussing the bilateral mega projects, the President reiterated Pakistan’s commitment for expeditious implementation of all mega projects including Pak-Iran Gas pipeline, the 1000 MW Taftan-Quetta transmission line, 400 MW Gwader Power supply project, construction of Noshki-Dalbandin sector of Quetta-Taftan Highway, the up-gradation of Quetta-Taftan track and others.Underpinning the importance of these projects, the President observed that the two sides should devise mechanisms for financing of these critical projects for soci0-economic development of the two countries and for the region.Discussing regional situation and shared challenges, the President emphasized upon the need for joining hands against the shared threat of militancy and extremism. He said that poverty, deprivation and less economic opportunities fuel extremism. For defeating this militant mindset, the President continued, there was a need to follow an integrated approach that included greater cooperation in the area of border security, curbing narco-trade and drug-trafficking, creating greater economic opportunities for the people especially those who were worst affected by the scourge of militancy. Deterrence, development and dialogue were the most effective weapon against militancy, the President reiterated.Discussing situation in Afghanistan, the President stressed for the need to have greater coordination for promotion of peace and stability in the neighbouring country.On the situation in Middle East, the President reiterated Pakistan’s principled stance for respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries and said that Pakistan desire peace and stability in the Middle East and would continue to support every effort in this regard.The spokesperson said that the President also asked Ali Akbar Velayati to convey his regards to the Supreme leader and to his counterpart Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

President for speedy work on Pak-Iran projects | The Nation

 

[A.Rafay]

IP project may be inked next week


ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Iran, while setting aside persistent US pressure, are expected to finally ink an agreement during next week for the award of contract to an Iranian company, which will lay Pakistan’s portion of IP gas pipeline.
Reliable sources in Petroleum Ministry informed TheNation that an agreement between Pakistani public sector firm Inter State Gas Company (ISGC) and Iranian firm Tadbir Energy would sign during next week for the construction of Pakistan’s portion of 781 km long Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline. Officials of Iranian firm would reach in Islamabad on February 11. Under the agreement, Iranian firm for the construction of said pipeline would be bound to initiate engineering, procurement and commissioning (EPC). Tadbir Energy faces no sanctions from any foreign government. It is controlled by the Imam Khomeini Foundation, one of Iran’s largest charitable groups. They said both brotherly countries Iran and Pakistan would initially provide $250 million while in second phase they would again provide same amount. Tehran is extending a $500 million loan because both countries have already signed an inter-governmental cooperation agreement.
Since the federal cabinet, in a meeting on January 30, has given go ahead to the construction of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and gave a waiver from the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules in order to award the contract directly to a private Iranian firm. The agreement will be signed in Islamabad during next week.
Sources further told that Iranian Tadbir will also undertake the second segment of the project, and will increase the financing facility by allocating up to $250 million to the project, subject to discussions regarding its involvement in the distribution of gas in Pakistan later on. It has also agreed to provide and assist in arranging $250 million as supplier credit and any additional financing for the second segment. The Iranian firm will act as the lead contractor along with the nominated local subcontractor(s).
Initially the IP gas pipeline project was proposed in 1955 but series of meeting between both neighbouring countries halted in 1993 due to undue US pressures now coupled with US sanctions on Iran. As US sanctions have put problematic hurdles in the way of making payments to Iranian firms, the two sides have drawn up a plan to finance gas pipeline on Pakistan’s side without Islamabad transferring funds to Tehran.
The project envisages gas inflows of 750 million cubic feet per day by the end of December 2014, which will be consumed by power plants to generate around 4,000 megawatts of electricity.
The IP pipeline engineering and project management consultant, who was appointed in April 2011, has completed work on a bankable feasibility study, interim front-end engineering design and a route reconnaissance survey.
Sources further said that the total cost of the project is expected to come to around $1.5 billion and Iran will provide $500 million, while the remaining amount was supposed to be generated through the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC).
However, the Islamabad High Court recently declared the levy of this cess illegal, and directed the government to reimburse amounts collected to gas consumers. Therefore, the government might meet with problems in generating the remaining funds. However, Pakistan will not pay any money to the company; instead, the Iranian government will pay $500 million directly to the firm for the construction of the pipeline, sources added.

IP project may be inked next week | The Nation

 

[UmarJustice]

Pakistan, Iran work out financing

Pakistan and Iran have reached an understanding to pay Iranian dues of $500 million through the cost of gas after the commissioning of Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project.

Reliable sources in the highest corridors of the Petroleum Ministry confided to The Nation that the two sides discussed in detail the finances involved in the mega $1.5 billion Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project, mode of payment, terms and conditions of the loan, interest rate, cost of laying one kilometre pipeline that includes bridges, compressor stations etc and the mode under which Pakistan would pay to Iran that has offered $500 million to help complete the project.

The project to be completed by December 2014 will first bring 750 million cubic feet gas per day through 781-kilometre-long pipeline with a diameter of 42 inches. Later, the gas flow will increase to one billion cubic feet per day.

The deputy chief of Tadbir Company headed the Iranian delegation and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources secretary led Pakistan side which also included managing director of the Inter-States Gas Systems (ISGS) and senior officials of the finance and law ministries.

It merits mentioning here that cost of laying the pipeline in Pakistan’s territory stands at $1.5 billion of which $500 million will be provided by Iran and the remaining amount will be arranged by Pakistan itself.

Pakistan, Iran work out financing | The Nation

 

[Son of Mountains]

tie up with Iran, get rid of US

 

[BATMAN]

Pakistan, Iran work out financing

Pakistan and Iran have reached an understanding to pay Iranian dues of $500 million through the cost of gas after the commissioning of Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project.

Reliable sources in the highest corridors of the Petroleum Ministry confided to The Nation that the two sides discussed in detail the finances involved in the mega $1.5 billion Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project, mode of payment, terms and conditions of the loan, interest rate, cost of laying one kilometre pipeline that includes bridges, compressor stations etc and the mode under which Pakistan would pay to Iran that has offered $500 million to help complete the project.

The project to be completed by December 2014 will first bring 750 million cubic feet gas per day through 781-kilometre-long pipeline with a diameter of 42 inches. Later, the gas flow will increase to one billion cubic feet per day.

The deputy chief of Tadbir Company headed the Iranian delegation and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources secretary led Pakistan side which also included managing director of the Inter-States Gas Systems (ISGS) and senior officials of the finance and law ministries.

It merits mentioning here that cost of laying the pipeline in Pakistan’s territory stands at $1.5 billion of which $500 million will be provided by Iran and the remaining amount will be arranged by Pakistan itself.

Pakistan, Iran work out financing | The Nation

1.5 BILLION!!!!! HOLY MOLLY

Is it Iranian company or some European company going to weld the pipes?

Who is going to supply the compressor stations? I'm just curious of contract details which are held under wraps.

 

[Gentelman]

I don't wanna engage in any d!ck measuring competition but just for the record some recent discoveries -

'India holds 527 tcf of shale gas reserves' - Money - DNA

India maps huge gas reserves around Andaman Islands

Krishna Godavari Basin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cairn India's Rajasthan block has record 7.3 billion-barrel oil reserve - Economic Times

besides Oil n Gas r not the only mineral reserves in the world -

we r the 4th largest producer of Iron Ore where as Pak is not even among the top 20, we r have the 4th largest reserve of Coal in the world, 4th largest reserve of Bauxite n many others as well as we have one of the largest reserves of Thorium in the world as well as significant reserves of Uranium as well...

Largest uranium reserves found in India - Telegraph

The Hindu : News / National : Major uranium deposit found in Rajasthan

it's policy not to reply trolls....
well Pakistan is 5th largest cotton producer...
Limestone producer...
salt is in vast quantity here...
same for uranium..
5th largest copper mine..
6th largest gold mine...
4th biggest reservoirs of coal in Sindh..
well overall comparing india with size and population ratio and keeping the stupid gov of Pakistan and negligance of GOP in mining field and undiscovered and unmentioned itmen still Pakistan has the edge.....

tie up with Iran, get rid of US

what abou aid??

 

[Yogi]

it's policy not to reply trolls....
well Pakistan is 5th largest cotton producer...
Limestone producer...
salt is in vast quantity here...
same for uranium..
5th largest copper mine..
6th largest gold mine...
4th biggest reservoirs of coal in Sindh..
well overall comparing india with size and population ratio and keeping the stupid gov of Pakistan and negligance of GOP in mining field and undiscovered and unmentioned itmen still Pakistan has the edge.....

Do u have any source to support ur claim?

N by source i mean any reliable source n not some random news articles even any govt report qauntifying the Uranium reserves would do...

Bcoz AFAIK Pakistan don't even stand anywhere near the top 10 Uranium producers...

 

[Gentelman]

Do u have any source to support ur claim?

N by source i mean any reliable source n not some random news articles even any govt report qauntifying the Uranium reserves would do...

Bcoz AFAIK Pakistan don't even stand anywhere near the top 10 Uranium producers...

where i said pakistan is in Top 10 or even 20 in production of Uranium???
well here we are running many powerplants and can run more i suppose you know it's meaning...
well here mining is not fast thats why we are not big producer....
we just mine urinium to full fil our needs...
chk out List of Urinium projects.....
and other reserves are also explored in Arugzai agency....
I know why are you jumping like this..(Andhra Perdesh)

Pakistan produced about 45
tonnes of Uranium in
2006.

http://www.world-
nuclear.org/info
inf23.html
it was 2006 soo u can guess how it would be in 2013..
well here i was a little bitter Em soory for that...
well it was 45 tonnes in 2011 and u had been producing 400 tonnes....
bt here we are not mining many reservoirs as i said...
we in past exported Uranium bt now Pakistan don't export...
we exported a little amount to west.

 

[darkinsky]

what the hell??

 

[Yogi]

where i said pakistan is in Top 10 or even 20 in production of Uranium???
well here we are running many powerplants and can run more i suppose you know it's meaning...
well here mining is not fast thats why we are not big producer....
we just mine urinium to full fil our needs...
chk out List of Urinium projects.....
and other reserves are also explored in Arugzai agency....
I know why are you jumping like this..(Andhra Perdesh)

Pakistan produced about 45
tonnes of Uranium in
2006.

http://www.world-
nuclear.org/info
inf23.html
it was 2006 soo u can guess how it would be in 2013..
well here i was a little bitter Em soory for that...
well it was 45 tonnes in 2011 and u had been producing 400 tonnes....
bt here we are not mining many reservoirs as i said...
we in past exported Uranium bt now Pakistan don't export...
we exported a little amount to west.

U still didn't answer my question about quantifying the reserve size...

No u aren't running many nuke power plant. Pakistan currently has only three nuclear power plants – an one aging 137MW plant in Karachi, which is operating at half capacity as it has completed its natural life, and two China- supplied 325MW plants in Chashma, dubbed as Chashma-1 (CHASNUPP-I) and Chashma-2
(CHASNUPP-II).

All of them producing hardly 700 MW.

 

[Surenas]

what the hell??

What has this to do with Iran? Seems like a Iraqi mullah. And besides that; you are the most pathetic member on this site.

 

[Gentelman]

U still didn't answer my question about quantifying the reserve size...

No u aren't running many nuke power plant. Pakistan currently has only three nuclear power plants – an one aging 137MW plant in Karachi, which is operating at half capacity as it has completed its natural life, and two China- supplied 325MW plants in Chashma, dubbed as Chashma-1 (CHASNUPP-I) and Chashma-2
(CHASNUPP-II).

All of them producing hardly 700 MW.

well how can i answer the question which i don't even know myself??
overall i should tell you reality not self made things....
well in quantity as far as i know Pakistan is not in top 20.....

What has this to do with Iran? Seems like a Iraqi mullah. And besides that; you are the most pathetic member on this site. You little Wahabi.

shouldnot u called him with any furqa or group..
he is Muslim and that's it...

 

[saiyan0321]

Well I am for this pipeline but seeing how we have soo much international pressure i dont think our politicians will go for it...

 

[FaujHistorian]

Well I am for this pipeline but seeing how we have soo much international pressure i dont think our politicians will go for it...

Pakistani people want the Iranian Ayatullah lollypop, so our politicians keep on giving the lollypop.

Why?

Pakistani educated elite totally refuse to accept that Iran is under sanctions of the type that makes it impossible to do any kind of large scale trade or projects considering the dire finanancial situation of Pakistan.

If Pakistan had $50 billion cash laying around we perhaps could finance the project and pay cash to iran for any imports we needed.

But under current circumstances, we borrow from American institutions to import even tea.

How on earth we could use that money to pay for something that is fing banned by the same American institutions?

HoW?

that means we cannot buy gas from them.

If Pakistani politicians had used brains instead of their phat @rses, they would have figured it out long time ago, and as a result told us long time ago that bacha log, we will not sign any treaty with Iran until the fing country is under sanctions.

So bacha log let Pakistan look for alternatives.


but no, such orgasms about pipes and lines keep on coming, while totally ignoring the reality.

But perhaps if someone is having virtual orgasms, why do they care about reality anyways.


peace


p.s. I am not against pipeline project. I am just saying it is not feasible until Iranians seriously try to get out of sanctions.