Pakistan, Iran agree to complete gas pipeline in 15 months

[Edevelop]

TEHRAN: President Asif Ali Zardari was accorded a warm welcome by his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday when he arrived here on a two-day official visit, heading a high-ranking delegation.

At Mehrabad International Airport, Zardari was welcomed by Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Ghasemi. The Iranian oil minister and his delegation agreed with their Pakistani counterparts to set up a joint contracting company to complete the construction of the IP gas pipeline within the next 15 months.

An Iranian-Pakistani joint contractor has been commissioned to begin construction of he IP gas pipeline. The Iranian and Pakistani oil ministers also inaugurated construction of the 781-km Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline on Pakistan’s soil.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told the visiting Pakistani president that the much-delayed $7.5 billion gas pipeline project must go ahead despite US opposition.

“The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is an important example of Tehran-Islamabad cooperation, and despite hostilities towards the expansion of ties, we must overcome this opposition decisively,” Khamenei told Zardari, his office reported.

“Accessing a safe energy source is the first priority for any country including Pakistan. In this region, the Islamic republic is the only nation that has safe energy resources and we are ready to provide Pakistan its energy needs,” said Khamenei.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told Zardari, “building the gas pipeline between Iran and Pakistan is a great and important event, and it serves the two nations’ interests.”

Zardari said, “I believe that building this project is very beneficial for both sides and we support all the work carried out so far.” Islamabad has said it will pursue the project regardless of US pressure, adding the gas is needed to help Pakistan overcome its energy crisis.

The IP gas pipeline stretches from the Iran-Pakistan border to Nawabshah. Apart from this, both countries also discussed the finances involved in the project. The interest rate for Iran’s 500-million-dollar loan to Pakistan and the date for the start of the repayment of the loan by Pakistan were also discussed.

Demand for natural gas in Pakistan has outstripped supply in recent years, putting existing reserves under immense pressure. The 2,700-kilometer long pipeline was to supply gas for Pakistan and India, but India has evaded talks. In 2011, Iran and Pakistan declared they would finalise the agreement bilaterally if India was not interested in the project.

According to the project proposal, the pipeline will begin from Iran’s Assalouyeh Energy Zone in the south and stretch over 1,100 km through Iran. In Pakistan, it will pass through Balochistan and Sindh but officials now say the route may be changed if China agrees to the project.

Iran has almost completed the pipeline work in its territory, but Pakistan has not yet started construction of 780 kilometers (490 miles) of the pipeline on its side, which is said to cost some $1.5 billion.
- See more at: Pakistan, Iran agree to complete gas pipeline in 15 months - thenews.com.pk

Pakistan, Iran agree to complete gas pipeline in 15 months - thenews.com.pk

 

[junaid1]

This project mist go ahead ,before u.s withdrawals from afganistan .u.s can't put pressure on us until they complete their withdrawal in 2014.

 

[Khalidr]

I have a question, why we are not discovering resources in our land, and the ones we discovered why we are not investing in them rather asking it from Iran and spending billions of dollars to complete project and later on to pay for the Gas to Iran.
Second disadvantage is that we are depending on Iran for our energy and in now a days there is always political uncertainty and we can lose this energy source in a single day. Political uncertainty can be from Iran, Pakistan and from the world in a form of war or political pressure in future.

 

[narcon]

John Kerry might stop 1.5 USD aid, that could be one of the option.

 

[Secur]

John Kerry might stop 1.5 USD aid, that could be one of the option.

The people of Pakistan would be extremely thankful to the US Govt if they cancel the AID program ! 1.5 USD's do not run the country ...

 

[Xracer]

John Kerry might stop 1.5 USD aid, that could be one of the option.

go ahead

 

[Amatoxin]

The people of Pakistan would be extremely thankful to the US Govt if they cancel the AID program ! 1.5 USD's do not run the country ...

I do not think its the people who will feel the Pinch, it will be the ten per centers who will and I think your Army and Politicians would not like that!

 

[Secur]

I do not think its the people who will feel the Pinch, it will be the ten per centers who will and I think your Army and Politicians would not like that!

The Army has already rejected the AID a long time before , time to update yourself !

 

[Amatoxin]

The Army has already rejected the AID a long time before , time to update yourself !

But they still take the money, giving statements is not enough you know. Time to understand how the world works you know!

 

[Secur]

But they still take the money, giving statements is not enough you know. Time to understand how the world works you know!

I think how the world works , dear ... We haven't received nothing lately from Foreign Military Sales , do not tell me that anything like that can be hidden !

 

[BATMAN]

John Kerry might stop 1.5 USD aid, that could be one of the option.

We might block Indian transit aid too.. which amounts to many billions.

 

[Amatoxin]

I think how the world works , dear ... We haven't received nothing lately from Foreign Military Sales , do not tell me that anything like that can be hidden !

Oh there is a lot which is hidden dear, from plain eyes.

1. The drone attack and the OBL are said to be given a green light by the Pakistani Govt, and that kind of approval cannot be just given by GoP and hence Army was involved if we go by the rumors..

2. The conspiracy theorists abundant, does not help one to sift facts from rumors..

 

[Secur]

Oh there is a lot which is hidden dear, from plain eyes.

Amazingly , some people have the unique ability to consider " rumors " as " facts " Isn't that the case here too ? I asked what we have received from FMS lately , any weapons , anything at all ? I didn't see any answers . I only saw a poster who tried to find his way out by going around in circles and making an sort - of ambiguous post ...

 

[Amatoxin]

Amazingly , some people have the unique ability to consider " rumors " as " facts " Isn't that the case here too ? I asked what we have received from FMS lately , any weapons , anything at all ? I didn't see any answers . I only saw a poster who tried to find his way out by going around in circles and making an sort - of ambiguous post ...

Why aid can only be given by weapons? Even the money for a good enough ammunition and some more logistic bills can be enough for a cash strapped nation..

 

[Secur]

Why aid can only be given by weapons? Even the money for a good enough ammunition and some more logistic bills can be enough for a cash strapped nation..

I said that the army doesn't take AID now , they used to take it under the umbrella of FMS program which has been cancelled since they have rejected it ... I asked you if we have received anything lately and all I got was mere rumors , conspiracy theories and a certain ambiguous post which reminds me of people here on PDF who just do not have answers and hence resort to that tactic ... The nation of 180 million people - the sixth largest cant be run by the AID of a few billion dollars ... Is it so hard to understand ?

P.S Logistics bills are counted as some sort of AID ? Thats interesting ! Should we allow them the transit for free despite the infrastructure damage it causes and the money it costs ? As for the ammunition , we are self-reliant in that , unlike some , who still buy it from the Kremlin ...