Positive Noises Over Iran-Pakistan Pipeline During Rouhani Pakistan Visit

Stakeholders from both sides have made positive noises about the much delayed Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline during President Hassan Rouhani’s Pakistan visit.

Rouhani said that completion and launching of the pipeline to carry Iran's gas to Pakistan will be in the interests of both nations.

He made the remarks during bilateral negotiations with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the first day of his visit to Islamabad on Friday in which high-ranking members of the two countries including the Iranian Minister of Petroleum Bijan Zangeneh were also present, Shana news agency reported.

“Completion and launching of the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline are in the interests of the two nations and can contribute to the economic development of the two countries particularly Pakistan,” Rouhani said.

Some encouraging comments came from the Pakistani said as well.

Chairman Pakistan's Board of Investment (BoI) and Minister of State Miftah Ismail said that Islamabad is keen to complete the project and in this regard, the government was engaged in negotiation with a Chinese company for building of a 200- kilometer Nawabshah to Gwadar gas pipeline.

He was talking to media after attending Pakistan-Iran Business Forum here at a local hotel on Friday, Pakistan’s AAP news agency reported.

He said that the project of the gas pipeline from Nawabsah to Gwadar was likely to be completed within two years while the remaining 70 kilometer part of gas pipeline from Gwadar to the Iranian border would be completed within few months in the second phase.

About 250 million cubic feet gas would be imported from Iran during first year, while in the second year the import of gas would be enhanced to 500 million cubic feet while in the third year 750 million cubic feet gas would be imported.

Iran has already built 900 km length of the pipeline on its territory while Pakistan still has to start work on the pipeline that would traverse its territory.