ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday a gas pipeline from Central Asia would usher in a new era of regional development, cooperation and prosperity, according to an official statement released by his office.
The government decided to appoint a senior official on Wednesday to resolve issues related to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project, whose construction has remained stalled for years due to differences over price review and delivery points.
The proposed pipeline is expected to carry 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas each year along a route stretching over 1,800 kilometers from the world’s second-largest gas field of Galkynysh to the Indian city of Fazilka.
Sharif expressed his optimism about the project after attending an event related to it.
“Addressing the signing ceremony of the TAPI Joint Implementation Plan, the prime minister said the project was of utmost importance for the development of all four countries and the region,” said the official statement.
He added the project would help the region secure natural gas with concrete assurances and mutually agreed terms and conditions.
The prime minister mentioned that in view of the global situation, access to energy had become a real challenge.
“For a developing country like Pakistan, there is a need to take speedy actions to explore energy options,” he said.
Sharif directed his team to do everything to pace up the planning and execution of the TAPI project, adding that Pakistan and Turkmenistan would expand their relations in diverse areas and boost bilateral cooperation.
