Pakistan has rejected US pressure and decided to go ahead with Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline to meet its energy requirements.

Islamabad, Feb 22/Nationalturk – Pakistan has rejected US pressure and decided to go ahead with Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline to meet country’s energy needs.

“There are some issues with US but Pakistan is determined to pursue Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project to meet the national energy needs,” Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Muazzam A Khan said.

He was responding to reports that  US and UN may impose sanctions on Pakistan if it goes ahead with proposed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.

Khan said Pakistan was least bothered about the US position. “Our position about the proposed project is very clear that it was in the best national interest of the country”.

He said despite international pressure, Pakistan will go for the Pak-Iran gas project as it is necessary for resolving its energy crisis as of the country.

Earlier, US State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters in Washington that US has cautioned Islamabad against activities that are ‘sanctionable’ under US laws.

“We’ve made clear to countries around the world, including Pakistan, that we believe that it’s in their interest to avoid activities that could be prohibited by UN sanctions or that could be sanctionable under US law,” she said.

“Pakistan had better not sign agreement with Tehran,” Nuland said adding Washington wanted to help Pakistan overcome its energy crisis.

Pakistan signed gas pipeline agreement in May 2009

Pakistan signed an agreement on the proposed 1,200-mile pipeline with Iran in May 2009, after 14 years of on-off negotiations.

Under the deal between the National Iranian Oil Co. and Pakistan’s Interstate Gas System, Tehran is to provide 750 million cubic feet of natural gas per day for 25 years from its giant offshore South Pars field in the Persian Gulf. Iran is offering to cover 60 percent of the construction costs of the pipeline.

Iran will initially transfer 30 million cubic meters of gas per day to Pakistan, but will eventually increase the gas transfer to 60 million cubic meters per day. The initial capacity of the pipeline will be 22 billion cubic meters of natural gas per annum, which is expected to be later raised to 55 billion cubic meters. Iran has already completed the work on pipeline on its soil.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News

 

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