Pakistan Will Examine India’s Request To Join Iran Gas Line

Islamabad, May 5, IRNA – Pakistan has said that it will look into the Indian governmentˈs request to join the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. The Foreign Ministry spokesman Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry was replying to a question during his press briefing about reports that the Indian government wants to join the project. ˈWe have seen the reports. We would examine and respond as and when we are approached,” the spokesman said when asked if Pakistan has received any formal request from the Indian side. Pakistan’s statement came days after Iran Oil Ministry spokesman said that New Delhi is in talks with Tehran to join the multi-billion-dollar pipeline. “Since India has been motivated by Pakistan’s seriousness in building the [Iran-Pakistan] ‘peace pipeline’, New Delhi is negotiating to join the project,” spokesman of Iranian oil ministry Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar said on Wednesday. The Iranian official added that there has been considerable progress in the Iran-Pakistan (IP) pipeline, with Iranian contractors starting work on the Pakistani section of the pipeline, after finishing nearly 900 kilometres of the pipeline on Iranian soil. In March, Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas M Veerappa Moily voiced his country’s willingness to join the pipeline project. The pipeline will enable the export of 21.5 million cubic meters per day of Iranian natural gas to Pakistan. The Pakistani government has stressed that it would go ahead with the construction of the gas pipeline despite threats and pressure from the US. The Pakistani and Iranian presidents inaugurated work on the laying of pipeline in Chahbahar last month. The agreement was welcomed in Pakistan by all segments of the society and experts believe that Iranian gas will resolve Pakistanˈs fast growing energy requirements./end