IRNA -- Pakistan has decided to proceed on the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project and expedite the process, a media report said on Monday.

A report published by ‘propakistani’ website said Pakistan seeks regional cooperation in the energy sector.

It said the government is afraid that even bigger gas outages are going to hit the country in the coming years. It anticipates a gap of 3,262 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) in 2022-23 even after the implementation of the new gas pipeline projects.

To overcome this gap, the policymakers have suggested numerous ideas. They think that the work on the IP gas project, with a capacity of 750 mmcfd, can be expedited within 24 months. It has the potential to reduce the gap up to 2,513 mmcfd.

Experts believe that the rising demand for transport fuel and the increasing crude oil prices in the global market can become a challenge to the present government.

The IP gas pipeline is considered to be the easiest and most feasible route for importing natural gas to Pakistan.

The groundbreaking of the pipeline project was performed in March 2013. While Iran has since then laid its side of the pipeline, Pakistan is yet to begin work on its side. The project was to be completed by December 2014 and come on stream from January 1, 2015.